A Spanner in the Works
by WarnedBeYou
Summary: Sequel to Clockwork: Four years after the war, and Hermione seems to have her life on track: a wonderful family, a loving boyfriend, and a stable job. But a spanner is thrown into the works, and Hermione must face the past. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Hermione must make the hardest decision of her life.
1. Chapter 1: The Wedding

**Hey guys! I'm back with the first chapter of the sequel. Hope you guys enjoy it! I am finding it a lot more challenging now that I don't have the books to follow, but I hope it'll be as good. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1: The Wedding

Hermione had been really busy all day. What with planning a wedding, making sure everybody got their invitations, and getting herself ready, she had enough on her plate. The bride to be had been stressed out so much lately, Hermione wondered if she would survive until the wedding. At half five, she left the Ministry and went home. She had a few days off of work for the wedding. Once home, she was greeted with a slightly annoyed Crookshanks. He was frustrated that she wasn't paying enough attention to him lately, and she knew it. She gave him a quick stroke, before going to her bedroom. She put her bags down at the foot of the bed, and went to her wardrobe. Her dress hung there in its cover. She took it out of the wardrobe and unzipped it. It was beautiful, and she was glad Ginny had been in charge of the clothes. She zipped the bag back up, picked up her make-up and jewellery, and walked towards the bathroom. She packed her toilet bag, and took one look around the apartment to see if she had forgotten anything, and went back to the lounge and put her suitcase by the door.

"Hey!" Ron had just walked in. He went up to her and gave her a kiss.

"Hi," she whispered back, smiling.

"I see you're all ready then."

"Yes, now, do you have everything?" She was looking around to see if she hadn't forgotten anything.

"Yes, I know the plan, Hermione. Hey, look at me." He had grabbed her hand to stop her walking away. "It'll be fine. Everything's accounted for. You have planned everything to the tiniest detail, it can't go wrong." She smiled at him.

"Thanks. I'm just so nervous." He laughed.

"It's alright, I understand." He pulled her into a hug. "I love you." He whispered into her hair.

"I love you too." She whispered back. They stood there for a minute or so, before an owl started pecking on their window. Hermione walked towards the bird, and took the letter it was holding before it flew off again. She laughed. "It's from Ginny. She's ordering me to 'get my butt over there'." Ron smiled at her, and gave her one last kiss.

"Go then. I do not want to be responsible for making you late. Ginny would kill me." She smiled.

"Now, don't get too drunk tonight!" She told him sternly, and he laughed.

"Hermione, I promise." He held his hand to his heart to show his sincerity. She smiled at him.

"I'll see you at the Burrow." He nodded, and she smiled before disapperating with her luggage.

"You're late!" Ginny told her when Hermione had walked into her bedroom.

"No I'm not, I'm early." Hermione replied calmly. "Now. Is everyone here?"

"No, Luna is here, as well as Hannah Abbott, but Fleur and Victoire still aren't here." Ginny was pacing around.

"Great. Then everything's going to plan. And if you keep worrying yourself, you'll give yourself a heart attack."

"I am getting married, Hermione. This has to be perfect!"

"I know. And it is going to be perfect. So take a deep breath, and calm down." Ginny did as Hermione asked, and sat down on the armchair in the corner.

"I can't believe I'm getting married." She whispered.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No! It's just… I'm 20 years old. Am I too young to get married?" Hermione looked at the young witch.

"You and Harry have been through so much. I have never seen him so happy. You too belong together. What age you get married doesn't matter because you're going to spend the rest of your lives together anyway." Ginny smiled in thanks at her. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Mrs Weasley entered.

"Hello girls," she said, a huge smile on her face. "Ginny, the girls are downstairs." Ginny nodded at her. The two girls got up and followed Mrs Weasley downstairs.

The next day, the Burrow was in uproar. Everybody was panicking because of things that should have been done that haven't been done and who hasn't done their job. Hermione was running around getting everything ready, cleaning up after people, and wondering if she would have time to get herself ready. Walking around in her pyjamas to find a sock that Victoire seemed to have lost, Hermione bumped into Harry. He looked just as stressed out as Hermione did.

"Hey!" She exclaimed.

"Hi." He was looking around. He, too, was still in his pyjamas.

"Looking for something?" Hermione asked him.

"Yes, I need to see Ginny, I need to ask her something."

"I'm sorry, but it's bad luck. Besides, Mrs Weasley will never let you past the stairs. What is it?"

"I just need to know that she still wants to go ahead with the wedding. I know she's been worrying if she's old enough…"

"Harry." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Ginny is not having second thoughts. She loves you. She isn't going to run. She wouldn't have said yes when you proposed otherwise." Harry nodded. "Now, go! Go get dressed!" And she shooed him away with a grin.

"Hermione! Why aren't you dressed yet?" Mrs Weasley had walked up behind her, and looked outraged. "Go!" And she pushed Hermione into Ginny's room. Ginny was there getting her make-up done by Fleur. The latter smiled at Hermione as she entered, and she returned it. She took the lilac dress out of its bag, and walked behind the screen they had put up. Once dressed, Fleur then turned to do her make-up, while Ginny went behind the screen to get into her wedding dress. When she emerged, Hermione was lost for words; never had she seen anyone look so beautiful. Even Fleur couldn't find anything to say, apart from: "Oh Mon Dieu…"

The reception was in full swing. Ron and Hermione were dancing in amongst the other guests. Neville and Hannah were dancing next to them, and Hermione smiled at her old school mate. His battle scars had faded significantly in the four years since the battle, and Hermione could see that he was happy. Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and she saw that Harry was asking her to dance. She accepted with a grin, and Ginny went to dance with Ron.

"What did you think of the ceremony?" Harry asked her.

"I thought it was wonderful. I have never seen you two so happy." Harry grinned, and Hermione could see that he had a twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank you for the planning you did for all of this. I really appreciate it."

"It's your wedding! You two are my best friends, why would I not want to help? Also, being the maid of honour, it is my duty to help in any way I can." Harry twirled her round, smiling.

The sun had set hours ago, and the party had started to die down. The newly weds walked around hugging and thanking people for attending their wedding, before waving to everyone one last time and disapperating.

"He better treat her right." Ron whispered, staring at the spot his now brother-in-law and sister had been.

"He will. Harry would never do anything to harm her. He loves her."

"I know. It's just hard to see my little sister get married." Hermione held Ron's hand and they too disapparated back to their apartment. Once home, Hermione headed straight for the lounge to make sure Crookshanks was all right.

"Ahh!" She screamed as a figure stepped out of the shadows towards her.


	2. Chapter 2: An Intruder

Chapter 2: An Intruder

Ron came rushing into the lounge, wand at the ready.

"What is it?" He asked. He stared at Hermione. She was staring at the corner. Ron looked round and saw who had caused Hermione to scream.

"You!" Ron spat and walked towards Hermione. Draco Malfoy walked over and sat down in an armchair, staring at the two of them. He smiled. His face was even thinner than it had been at his trial.

"Long time no see." He told them.

"That may be so, but it's only been four years. I seem to remember you were sentenced to five. How did you get in here?" Ron spat at him, his wand still raised.

"I was released early thanks to exemplary behaviour." He wasn't looking at Ron. As soon as the lights had been turned on, Draco had been staring at Hermione.

"I wasn't informed." Ron told him, suspiciously. Draco took out a piece of parchment and handed it over to Ron, who took it and looked at it.

"_I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic, hereby release Draco Malfoy from Azkaban due to exemplary behaviour while imprisoned. He will be on parole for the next two years."_ Ron read out. "It's legitimate. It's got his seal." Ron stared at him. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you go home?"

"Well, my father is in Azkaban for life, and I promised Hermione I would come and see her as soon as I was released." Draco looked at Ron for the first time. "How's life?" He grinned at him. Ron started to lower his wand.

"We've got a spare room that you can stay in for tonight." Ron told him, and finally put his wand away. Draco stood up as Ron walked over and held out a hand. Draco stared at him, and took it. The two men shook hands before Ron looked over at Hermione who hadn't said a word for the whole conversation. "Hermione?" Ron asked softly.

"You promised you would see me as soon as you got out." Hermione said softly. "I wasn't expecting you for another year." She was staring at Draco. He smiled.

"I was going to come straight here, but then I saw a Daily Prophet that said that Potter was having a wedding at an 'undisclosed location', which of course meant at the Weasley's. I watched from a distance. I left them a wedding gift, an old family heirloom. I didn't really have time to go shopping. They looked happy." He smiled at Hermione. "Are you?"

"What?"

"Are you happy?" Hermione nodded.

"Yes. I am very happy." Draco smiled, but she could see he was in pain.

"That's all that matters. Now," he said, "I'm very tired. If you could just point me in the direction of the spare room, I will show myself there. Thank you." He nodded to Hermione once more, before following Ron to his room.

The next day, Hermione awoke to the smell of someone cooking. She smiled, and opened her eyes. Ron was still in bed, snoring away as usual. Hermione got up, perplexed. She opened the door a fraction and looked down the hall. She saw the open door to the guest room, and remembered. It was Draco. She closed the door again and grabbed her dressing gown. Walking as quietly as a mouse, she walked down the hall to the kitchen. Sure enough, there he was. He was as tall as Hermione remembered him, and his blond hair was sticking up in all different directions.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up," he said aloud, making Hermione jump.

"How did you know I was here?" She asked him, walking into the room. He grinned at her.

"I could hear you moving about, even through Weasley's snoring." Hermione smiled.

"What are you making?" She asked him, looking around at the mess in her previously immaculate kitchen.

"Pancakes. Don't worry I will clean up. I thought I'd cook breakfast for you two as a thank you for letting me stay here last night." He flipped the pancake up in the air and caught it. "This isn't as difficult as it they make it out to be!" He laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"Making pancakes. They make it look really difficult, but I think I'm doing alright for a first try."

"You mean this is the first time you're making pancakes?" Hermione looked terrified, but Draco just laughed at the look on her face.

"Calm down, Hermione. It's fine, I'm being very careful. Look, last one!" He told her as he slid the pancake down out of the pan and onto the huge pile of pancakes next to the cooker.

"Hermione?" Ron called out from the bedroom.

"I'm in the kitchen!" She called back. Ron entered the room, yawning.

"Morning," he grinned at her, giving her a quick peck.

"Morning," she replied, grinning. "Look! Draco made us pancakes."

"Hey, thanks man. I'm starving." Ron told him, wrapping his arms around Hermione's waist.

"I'll get the table ready," she offered. "Ron, could you-"

"Clean the kitchen?" He finished for her, and she smiled. "Of course." With a wave of his wand, the ingredients flew to their respective places. "Sleep alright Draco?" He asked him casually as Hermione went into the dining room.

"Very well, thank you," he answered, matching Ron's tone. "Listen, I'm not here to try and win her back. She seems happy. That's all I need to know. I just wanted to see her again." Ron nodded.

"Even if you were here to try and challenge me for her, she would hex you from here to Hogwarts. You should know she doesn't like the idea of men fighting over her, she's not an object." Ron grinned at Draco.

"I know," Draco told him, grinning back at him. "Help me with these?" Ron nodded as Draco grabbed the plate full of pancakes while Ron picked up the sugar and the lemons.

After breakfast, Hermione thanked Draco, waved her wand to put the dishes away in the dishwasher, and went to get dressed. Once she was in her bedroom, she shut the door and let the events sink in. He was back. After four years, Draco was back. She didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry, but she slid down to the floor, and hugged herself, feeling very, very confused.


	3. Chapter 3: Back To Work

Chapter 3: Back to Work

One week later, Hermione was heading towards her office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She had only transferred to that department a few months prior, and she was still adjusting. She had just sat down and was looking through the first of the files on her desk when there was a knock on the door. Hermione looked up and saw that it was Claire, her assistant.

"Yes?"

"Ms Granger, there is someone here to see you."

"Do they have an appointment?"

"Well, no."

"Then tell them to make an appointment." Hermione was adamant that people needed appointments; more than once it was just a fan that wanted an autograph. She hated being pestered at work.

"Ms Granger?" Claire was back. "He said he wanted an appointment now." Hermione sighed.

"What's his name?"

"Draco Malfoy." Hermione stared at her. What was Draco doing at her work?

"What should I do?" Claire asked her, looking slightly scared at Hermione's expression.

"Let him in." Hermione told her, and Claire nodded, before leaving the office.

"Hey." Draco had walked in. "Wow, nice office." He told her, walking around.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked him.

"What's with the attitude? Did you and Weasley switch bodies or something?"

"No, but I am very busy."

"Well, maybe I could help you." Draco gave her a smile, and Hermione couldn't help but return it.

"You don't have the clearance. You don't work here."

"Weren't you told?"

"Wasn't I told what, Draco?"

"I work here now." Hermione stared at him.

"What do you mean 'here'?"

"Here. I'm next door. I'm your partner!" He grinned at her, but Hermione continued to stare. "I thought you'd be happy about it."

"Draco, I haven't heard from you in four years-"

"Because I was in Azkaban."

"- and you come in here, announce to me that we're now partners, and expect me to be happy? We can't just pick up where we left off. I have moved on with my life."

"Hang on, what? Who said anything about that? I wanted to work in Magical Law Enforcement, and they assigned me to you. I want to connect with you again."

"Draco." Hermione couldn't believe it.

"You don't want me in your life anymore. I'm not here to try and whisk you away from Weasley. I just want a friend." She looked into his eyes. Grey to brown, brown to grey.

"I'm sorry. I don't like not being told. I think I should've been notified. I'd love to work with you." Draco grinned, and Hermione grinned back.

"It'll be just like last time!" Draco told her.

"What do you mean?"

"When we were partnered in Ancient Runes. We can spend time together and laugh, and you can boss me around for not knowing things," he laughed at the memory. "You kept me going." He told her. "In Azkaban."

"Stop, please." Hermione was not ready to face her past with Draco. She had hoped he wouldn't come back to her, as she was quite happy with her life with Ron, and she didn't want Draco to mess it up. Draco stayed quiet, and they stared at each other for a while.

"If that's all you wanted to say to me, I would like to get back to work." Draco nodded, and left her office, closing the door behind him. Hermione put her head down on the desk. What was wrong with her?

_He just wants to be friends,_ she told herself. _But that's how it started last time. Friends._ She shook her head. No, it wasn't going to be like last time. She was with Ron now. She loved Ron. She sat up straight, took a deep breath, and started working.


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner

Chapter 4: Dinner

When Hermione came home that Friday, Crookshanks seemed to have given up even asking for attention. Hermione decided to pick him up and give him the attention he had been craving, but all that happened was Crookshanks hissing at her, and running away with his tail held high.

"Ron?" Hermione called, walking through the apartment. "Are you here?" Her calling was met with silence. When she walked into the bedroom, however, she saw a beautiful red dress lying on the bed with a note attached to it.

_My dearest Hermione,_

_Would you do me the honour of wearing this dress tonight and meeting me at La Marguerite at 9pm?_

_Ron._

Hermione had her hand to her mouth and looked at the dress again. It was exactly her kind of dress: it was elegant, did not have too much cleavage, and stopped at the knee. Hermione was sure that Ginny had picked it out. Hermione gazed at the dress, and read the note five more times. Smiling, Hermione put the note back on the dress, put her bags away, and started to get ready.

At 9 o'clock, Hermione flooed to the restaurant Ron had invited her to. He was already sat at a table in the corner, surrounded by plants to give them some privacy, obviously waiting for her. Hermione thought that he looked quite nervous as she walked towards him. The moment he spotted her, he got up so fast the he knocked the table slightly. Hermione giggled.

"You look amazing," Ron told her, giving her a kiss. "Let's sit down." He went and pulled out Hermione's chair and let her in.

"Thank you. You did a great job in picking out a dress." He smiled, sitting down opposite.

"It was Ginny who picked it out for me."

"I thought so," she told him, making him smile. "So you must have bought it ages ago, unless she came back from her honeymoon just to help you pick out a dress."

"You caught me," Ron held his hands in the air. "I've been hiding the dress at the Burrow for about three weeks. Maybe more."

"I'm guessing you were at the Burrow this afternoon, seeing as you weren't at home." Ron shook his head.

"I was spending some time with Fred and George at their shop."

"Ah. How was that?"

"It was fun. You know how I love their shop." Hermione nodded.

"Did you buy anything?" She eyed him carefully. Last time he had bought something it had been a swamp bomb, and it had gone off in their room in the middle of the night because Crookshanks had decided to play with it.

"No, I did not buy anything." Ron smiled at her. "I promise. I have learnt my lesson not to buy anything from that shop because your cat is stupid."

"Crookshanks is not stupid!" Ron laughed, and Hermione smiled.

"So how was your day?" He asked her as he ordered a bottle of wine.

"Well, I found out that Draco has been assigned to me." Ron stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, apparently he applied to join the department, they accepted and decided that I should keep an eye on him." Ron just continued to stare at her suspiciously as the waitress brought their wine.

"Are you two ready to order?" She asked them.

"Yes, I'll have the mushroom soup to start, and then the grilled salmon for my main, thank you." Hermione told her. The waitress had a quick quotes quill, not unlike the one Reeter Skita had, and Hermione eyed it suspiciously.

"Don't worry, the quill doesn't make mistakes." The girl told her, pulling Hermione out of her daydream.

"I'll have the salad to start and then the carbonara, thanks." Ron smiled at the waitress, who smiled back. She waved her wand at the parchment the quill had been writing on, which subsequently folded up into an aeroplane and zoomed off in the direction of the kitchens.

"Your starters will arrive shortly." The witch smiled at the couple, before walking away to the next table.

"So, why did you invite me here?" Hermione asked him.

"Can a man not treat his woman without having his motives questioned?" Ron grinned.

"You have had this dress for about three weeks, and it is impossible to get reservations here at short notice."

"Well, I can pull a few strings." Ron winked.

"You know that doesn't work on me." Hermione was starting to get suspicious.

"Hermione, can we not have a lovely evening without you asking questions?"

"Fine! Fine. I'll stop asking questions. It doesn't mean I'm not going to try to work it out, though." Ron rolled his eyes and smiled.

"You're lucky I love you." And Hermione grinned.

"Yes I am."

Two hours later, Hermione was sure she wouldn't be able to eat another bite.

"Would you two like to order some desert?" The waitress asked them, and before Hermione could politely decline, Ron told the waitress that they would like one piece of the chocolate sponge cake to share. The waitress nodded and walked away.

"I don't think I could eat another bite. I hope that cake is just for you." Hermione told him.

"No, I thought we could share it," he told her, grinning. He was looking increasingly nervous.

"Ron, you look as though you're about to go on trial. Why do you look so nervous?" Ron extended his hand across the table.

"I need to tell you something." Hermione was feeling very confused. "Hermione." He cleared his throat. "We have been going out for over four years. I love you, and I have done for as long as I can remember. You have changed my life for the better. And if you would have me, I would like to spend the rest of my life with you." He got up, and knelt down on one knee in front of her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Hermione Jean Granger." Hermione was speechless. Inside the box was a beautiful engagement ring. It as a simple ring, with a few small stones etched into it. She stared at the ring, and then at Ron. He was staring at her with so much fear in his eyes that Hermione was reminded of a lost puppy. "Will you marry me?"

"Ron. Of course I will."


	5. Chapter 5: Telling the Parents

Chapter 5: Telling the Parents

The day after Hermione's engagement to Ron, the young couple walked up the gravel path towards the Granger's front door. Even though their engagement was all over the Daily Prophet, she knew that her parents wouldn't know yet, due to the fact that they were muggles. In order to beat the press, Hermione and Ron had written to Mr and Mrs Weasley as soon as they had arrived home after the dinner.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked Ron, who nodded. She rang the doorbell.

"I'll get it!" They heard her father yell from inside. Footsteps grew louder, before the door was finally yanked open. "Hermione! Ron! What a pleasant surprise!" He greeted them both with a hug. "Come in, come in. Rachel!" Her father yelled as they went through into the lounge. "Come downstairs! Hermione and Ron are here!" They heard her mother walk around for a bit before she appeared before them.

"Hermione." And she gave her daughter a hug. As Hermione stepped back to allow her to greet Ron, Rachel stared at her daughter's hand. "Oh." She whispered.

"What is it dear?" Her father asked her, but Rachel was too busy looking from Ron to Hermione with big round eyes. "Rachel?" He asked again.

"Dad?" Hermione addressed her father with a rather shaky voice. "Ron and I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" He looked very confused.

"Ron and I are-"

"You're not pregnant are you?"

"No! No." Hermione was shocked. "No, nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"What Hermione is trying to say is that we are going to get married." Ron told him firmly. Her father stared at the both of them.

"John?" Her mother whispered to him; he seemed to have turned to stone. The silence was starting to get very uncomfortable, and Hermione was very aware of the ticking of the grandfather clock in the lounge. "Would any one like a cup of tea?"

"Yes please. I'll go help," Hermione followed her mother into the kitchen.

"So, engaged!" Rachel said to her, eyes wide with delight. "Ron's such a sweet boy. You two obviously love each other very much."

"Yes. I hope Dad manages to speak soon." Her mother sighed.

"I think he's just finding it a bit hard to swallow. You're his little girl; it's hard to see you so grown up. And marriage, well, that's something else. You're very young as well. I think he hoped he had a few more years before then."

"I am 22 years old,"

"I know, honey. We trust your decisions; we know you have thought this through a million times over."

"Dad is acting as though I've just told him I'm 12 and pregnant." Rachel laughed, then sighed again.

"He'll come round. It may take time, but he won't argue with you." Hermione nodded, before Ron came running into the kitchen white-faced.

"Hermione, we need to get your dad to the hospital, he's just collapsed, I don't know how to use the phone-thing." Hermione turned pale, and ran to her father as Rachel called the ambulance.

Half an hour later, Hermione, Rachel, and Ron were sitting in the waiting room of a nearby muggle hospital. All three of them were sitting in silence, waiting for a doctor to appear and tell them something, anything. Hermione hated not knowing.

"Mrs Granger?" A doctor had finally appeared, and Rachel shot up.

"How is my husband? Is he alright?"

"He's fine, it was a mild cardiac arrest. He's going to be fine, but we will need to take a blood test and put him on some medication to avoid this getting worse. Would you like to see him?" Rachel nodded, and gestured to Ron and Hermione to follow them. They walked through the doors and down the corridor. Ron was looking around with an air of wonder. Hermione smiled a small smile at him, before walking into the hospital room where her father sat on a white bed. He smiled when he saw them.

"Hello there. It's nothing," he told his wife who looked very frightened, "I'll be fine. I'll just have to take a lot of pills from now on. It'll be fun." Rachel smiled a little. He then turned his gaze to his daughter.

"Hi Dad." She whispered.

"You look as frightened as your mother," he smiled at her, and took her hand. "Ron, come here." Ron walked forward and stood beside Hermione. "Listen, about his engagement of yours. I can't say I'm over the moon about it, because frankly, I feel that you're too young, but you two obviously love each other very much, and if Hermione thinks it's a good idea, then who am I to question it. I just have one request; treat her right." He told Ron sternly, who nodded solemnly.

"I love her more than I have ever loved anyone in the whole world. I would never let anything happen to her." Her father nodded, before smiling at her.

"I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too Dad." She smiled at him.

As soon as Hermione got home from the hospital, she collapsed on the bed. Ron sat down beside her.

"Are you all right?" He asked her quietly.

"Yeah. I mean, my father had a heart attack as soon as we told him that we were engaged, but apart from that, yes I'm fine." Ron smiled at her.

"Do you want a bath?" She nodded at him. "I'll go draw one for you."

"Thank you." Ron gave her a kiss before walking out. Hermione stayed on the bed, her mind whirring. _This is typical,_ she thought, _he gets a heart attack when I tell him I'm engaged._ She covered her face in her hands.

"It's not your fault, Hermione." She looked up at Ron who was standing in the doorway.

"I know. It still feels like it is, though." Ron lay down beside her on the bed and looked at her.

"I love you so much." He whispered, and Hermione snuggled up to him. They both lay there for a minute, before Ron reminded her of the bath that awaited her in the bathroom. She thanked him again before locking the bathroom door behind her. Ron watched her go and smiled. He had never been so happy.


	6. Chapter 6: Help

Chapter 6: Help

When Hermione went back to work the next week, there were about five bouquets of flowers waiting for her on her desk, each one from admirers wishing her the best in her engagement. She smiled and put them each in their own vases, admiring the beautiful flowers.

"Somebody's popular," Draco observed from the doorway.

"Good morning. How are you?" She smiled at him.

"I am very well. Need I ask how you are? Judging by the newspaper headlines and the flowers on the shelf behind you, you are very happy." Hermione grinned at him.

"Yes I am. Ron proposed last Friday at the restaurant."

"So I read." Draco was avoiding her gaze, and Hermione felt slightly guilty.

"How's your mother?" Draco shrugged.

"She's alright. I don't think she's recovered from losing me and my father to Azkaban."

"I'm sorry."

"She wants to invite you three to dinner." He said suddenly, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Wait, you're serious? Us three as in, me, Ron and Harry?" Draco nodded. "Why?"

"Why do you think? Not only did you get my sentence reduced by half, you also saved her from even going to Azkaban." Hermione blushed furiously at the memory of Draco's trial.

"When?" Hermione had her back to Draco so that he wouldn't see her embarrassment.

"This Sunday. Why are you blushing?" Hermione hung her head and looked round at Draco who was grinning. "What is it?" Hermione grinned sheepishly.

"The day of your trial, before you were taken to Azkaban, do you remember how I came to see you?" Draco nodded, smiling at the memory of their final words.

"Yes, I remember that."

"Well, when your mother came out of the room, she gave me a hug and thanked me and said that she was glad that I had entered your life." Draco laughed.

"That sounds like her. Look at you; you're so embarrassed. That was a lifetime ago, everything's changed! You're engaged, and I'm getting my life back on track. It'll be fine, she won't go on about how much you mean to her, and how much she's indebted to you, mainly because that was one of the conditions to inviting you to dinner, but she'll be perfectly civil." Hermione smiled at him, feeling slightly less embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Harry isn't back from his honeymoon yet, but he should be back on Thursday. And I'll ask Ron when I see him this evening."

"Alright. Let me know."

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"It's great to see you again." They smiled at each other, before he left her office. Hermione sat down at her desk, and began her work for the day.

At lunchtime, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She called, and Draco entered her office.

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch." Hermione smiled.

"Sure. I usually sit with Ron, but he's on a case today." Draco smiled, and held the door open for her. The two of them walked together, laughing, towards the cafeteria.

"It's weird, I am so used to hiding our friendship that walking together like this is surreal."

"I know. I keep expecting people to tell me that a Gryffindor and a Slytheryn can't hang out."

"Those were the days." Draco told her, smiling.

"I miss Hogwarts. It was a lovely school."

"I wish I could have finished my year properly, but luckily the Ministry takes that into account when you apply for a job."

"I thought the last year was really stressful; there was so much more to learn!"

"How do you know? You were on the run."

"I went back to finish it with Ginny."

"Trust you, Granger." Draco told her with a grin, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, it is a bit typical of me, but everyone expected it of me."

"So you just had to do it, little miss know-it-all." Hermione poked her tongue out at him, an act he copied.

"I loved my last year. I was the only one who went back out of the 'Golden Trio', as people call us, but the other two were a bit fed up with school."

"Let me guess; you were head girl." Hermione smiled proudly.

"Of course I was, did you expect any less?" Draco laughed.

"I would've had a word with McGonagall if you hadn't been." Hermione smiled.

"Here we are," Hermione walked towards the trays and picked one up, and Draco did the same.

"I really hoped you topped all of your classes in your final year as well. Brightest witch of our age, and all that."

"Of course I did," Hermione told him with a shocked expression on her face, "how dare you think otherwise!" Draco laughed, and Hermione joined in. They picked out their lunch, and went to sit at a table in the corner.

"So, how did you get into this Department, I thought you wanted to save the house elves?" Draco asked her as he tucked into his sandwich.

"I worked on that and greatly improved their working conditions, they now get days off and have a lot more rights thanks to me. While working, I saw that muggle-borns don't even have fair rights yet, so I thought I should look into that and even things out legally." Draco nodded.

"Do you get nightmares?" Draco asked her quietly, and Hermione looked at him in silence. Draco was staring intently at his bowl of pasta.

"Yes. I used to get them every night for the first few months. They were so vivid; I kept thinking that Voldemort was in the room with me, waiting to kill me. As time went on I got them less and less. After four years you'd have thought that they would have stopped completely but I still get them once in a while." Draco was staring at his meal, nodding slowly.

"I still get them. Every night. Sometimes they're so bad I can't sleep. All of the things I've seen…" Draco put his hand over his eyes, and when he looked at Hermione again she saw that they were watering slightly. "I don't know how long I can take it. Why won't they go away?" He was whispering to Hermione in desperation. Hermione wasn't quite sure what she should say. "What can I do to make them stop?"

"I don't know." She whispered back. He stared deep into her eyes, and Hermione saw just how tortured and damaged he was. "But I want to help you. In any way that | can." She smiled a small smile, one that he returned gratefully. They both then returned to their lunch.


	7. Chapter 7: Back Home

Chapter 7: Back Home

That Thursday, Hermione was at the Weasley's waiting to welcome Ginny and Harry back from their honeymoon. Hermione and Ron were anxious to see them and to tell them their news. Mrs Weasley had a dinner all prepared for this reunion, and was admiring Hermione's ring with wide eyes.

"You two are perfect for each other," Mrs Weasley beamed at them, before they saw two figures walking towards the house.

"They're back!" Hermione cried. The Weasleys gathered outside to welcome the young couple home.

"Hi Mum!" Ginny hugged her mother.

"Look how tanned you are!" Mrs Weasley cried back, hugging the youngest Weasley tightly.

"Hey Harry," Ron told him, giving him a hug. "Good time?" Harry nodded with a huge grin on his face.

"It was fantastic. Hey Hermione." Hermione gave him a hug.

"Hey! Where did you guys go?" She asked as Harry and Ginny got passed around to all of them.

"We went to the Caribbean islands. It was amazing." Ginny was glowing with happiness.

"Come in, come in, you two must be starving!" Mrs Weasley ushered everyone back inside the house, where she got dinner on the table.

The rest of the evening passed without incident. The happy couple recounted their week away with exquisite detail. Hermione listened intently, soaking up every word, and observing how happy they both looked. When they heard about Ron and Hermione's engagement, Ginny squealed.

"I told you she would say yes!" She told her brother, whose ears had gone bright red. Hermione smiled at her.

"Congratulations. Please don't get into too many arguments planning your wedding." Harry grinned at his two best friends.

"A toast!" Bill cried, suddenly standing up. Everybody raised their glasses in expectations. "To family."

"To family!" Everybody chorused.

"You're going to be my sister!" Ginny shrieked in excitement, and Hermione laughed. Mrs Weasley beamed around the table at her family. Fleur and Victoire were playing in a corner of the lounge, Harry and Ginny were sitting on the sofa together, and Ron and Hermione were sitting in front of the fire. She had never been so proud.

Ginny and Hermione were outside in the garden catching up. Ginny had told her some more details of the trip, and Hermione was laughing so much she was sure her ribs would crack.

"So tell me, what's happened in your life in the week I've been away?" Ginny asked a breathless Hermione.

"The night I got back from your wedding Draco Malfoy was waiting for us in our apartment." Ginny stared wide-eyed at her. Ginny was one of the few people who knew all about her relationship with Draco.

"He's out of Azkaban? I thought he still had a year to go?"

"He was let out for good behaviour. He's on parole. Oh, I didn't tell you the best part," Ginny stared expectantly. "Draco and I are paired up in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Ginny gasped.

"No!"

"I know!" Hermione told the young woman who started to laugh.

"Oh this is amazing. He is incredibly persistent!"

"Ginny, no. He didn't ask for it."

"Right, keep telling yourself that."

"Ginny, it's been four years."

"Four years that he's been spending cooped up in prison with nothing but his thoughts. You may have been able to get on with your life, but his life was put on hold this whole time. If you ask me, he's probably been thinking about you for four years, waiting to be able to see you again, thinking through what he's going to say to you when he does see you again." Hermione lay on the grass and stared at the sky. The stars twinkled back at her, as if they were trying to tell her something.

"I hadn't thought of that." She told her friend.

"What was the last thing you said to each other? Four years ago, what was it?" Hermione thought back to that day in June. She had been doing a good job at not thinking about it, but now she willingly dived back into her memories.

"We said that we loved each other." Hermione whispered as Ginny nodded.

"Exactly."

"Well, actually, the last thing we said to each other was that it would be nice that he would come to see me when he was let out."

"Well, alright, no need to be so picky. My point is, the last words that you two said to each were sweet and romantic, and heart breaking."

"Yes, but it was goodbye."

"Maybe you took it that way, but he's been sitting in Azkaban thinking about seeing you again. I'm sure of it." Hermione stared at the stars and they winked back.

"I'm with Ron. I love Ron. I'm getting married to Ron."

"Who are you trying to convince: me or yourself?" Ginny was looking at her with kind eyes.

"Ginny, what I felt for Draco has long since gone. At one point in my life I loved him, I really did. But he's been out of my life for so long…"

"Hermione." Ginny was doing her best not to upset the young witch. "You and Draco had something special. You were the first person to see him not as a Slytheryn and a Malfoy, but as a person separate from that. You helped him in his time of need. He is not going to let you go easily. He may not try and win you back because he knows how you feel about guys fighting over you," Hermione was staring at her, "but he will want you in his life, even if it is as a friend. He probably still loves you." Hermione started to cry.

"What have I done?" She whispered. "I fell for him when I was 16 because Ron was with Lavender, he saved my life more than once, and now I feel as though I've led him on."

"Hermione, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself if he still does feel the same. You never know, I could be wrong…" Hermione snorted.

"The day you are wrong when it comes to feelings is the day I don't come first in a test."

"Well, you weren't first in potions in your sixth year…"

"That doesn't count, Harry cheated." But she realised Ginny was just trying to cheer her up and gave her a grateful smile.

"All you can do is see what happens. Hermione, be careful. And be honest with Ron; he deserves at least that." Hermione nodded.

"I tell him everything anyway." Ginny sat up and looked round. Harry had appeared in the doorway of the Burrow.

"I think the boys want us to go and join everyone again. But we will continue this conversation later!" Ginny told Hermione sternly, and the latter smiled and put her hands up in defeat. The girls got up and joined everyone back inside the house.


	8. Chapter 8: Back to the Manor

Chapter 8: Back at the Manor

On Sunday, The Golden Trio dressed up in their finest dress robes and apparated to the Manor for Sunday Dinner. The three of them stared up the driveway, and each knew that the memories of what had transpired last time they were there were going through their heads. The gates opened for them, and a house-elf escorted them to the door of the Manor.

"Mrs Malfoy, the guests have arrived," the house-elf squeaked as they entered the hall, and Narcissa Malfoy appeared from the drawing room.

"It is lovely for you to be here. Please, come into the lounge while the house-elves put the finishing touches to dinner. Draco!" She called up the stairs. "The guests are here." Draco appeared at the top of the stairs. Hermione had to admit that he did look really good in his jet-black dress robes.

"Mr Potter, it has been too long." He didn't say it sarcastically, but with a perfectly civil tone. "Mr Weasley, always a pleasure. Ms Granger, I must say you look lovely this evening." Hermione blushed, and he winked at her, an action that annoyed Ron greatly.

"Shall we?" Draco gestured to the lounge, and they nodded. Led by Mrs Malfoy, the party marched into the spacious lounge. In the corner of the room Hermione noticed a grand piano and couldn't help but smile at the memory. Draco must have noticed the glance, for he said: "do you still play?" Hermione let out a small laugh.

"I haven't played properly since I was young, you know that." She told him.

"You mean to tell me you've forgotten it all!" He retorted with mock hurt on his face as they all sat down.

"I haven't touched a piano since then." They smiled at each other.

"Maybe after dinner you could show us how much you remember." Hermione scowled at him, and he poked out his tongue ever so slightly at her. She grinned.

"So, Ms Granger, I hear that you and Draco are work colleagues."

"Yes, funny coincidence, really." She said. "Thank you," she told the house-elf as she was given a glass of white wine. The house-elf bowed and offered the tray of glasses to the boys.

"And Mr Potter-"

"Please, call my Harry."

"Sorry, Harry. You work as an Auror. I must say I am impressed; I would have thought you would have had enough of chasing dark wizards about."

"Mother." Draco looked slightly embarrassed, but Harry just laughed.

"Yes, a lot of people think along those lines, my wife included. I guess I've been surrounded with that lifestyle for so long I've become accustomed to it. Besides, Defence Against the Dark Arts was always my best subject." Narcissa smiled.

"You have been busy. In four years, you married Ms Weasley, now Ms Potter, I believe," Harry nodded, "and now you two are engaged." Ron smiled.

"Yes, we got engaged two weeks ago." Ron told her.

"Well, I believe congratulations are in order." Narcissa held up her own glass of wine to the two of them. "To love."

"The dinner is ready, Mrs Malfoy." A house-elf had appeared at the door. They all got up and headed through the doors. Hermione couldn't help but gasp at how beautiful the room was. The walls were black and white, and the tablecloth was a very dark green. Hermione saw that the cutlery was encrusted with very small emeralds on the hilts.

"Hermione," Draco pulled out a chair for her.

"Thank you Draco." She said as sat down. She didn't see the jealous expression on Ron's face.

"Bon apétit," Mrs Malfoy told them as the house-elves brought out the food.

"That was an excellent meal, Mrs Malfoy, I cannot thank you enough," Ron told her, but she just waved her hand.

"Mr Weasley, my family is indebted to you three, it was the least I could do."

"Mother." Draco said sternly. "Remember what you promised?" Narcissa rolled her eyes at her son.

"Draco, can I not even mention it? It is thanks to them that I am not in Azkaban with your father. And they reduced your sentence-"

"Yes, Mother, I am sure they aware of the circumstances. I do apologise."

"It's fine." Harry told him.

"Now, let us head out to the Drawing room for coffee." Narcissa stood up, and they all followed her through another set of doors. As soon as Hermione entered the room, she stopped. A chill ran down her neck. She was back. This was where Bellatrix Lestrange had tortured her for information just four years ago. Memories flashed in her mind.

_Bellatrix grabbed her kicking and screaming by the hair. Ron was yelling at her to take him, take him and leave her be._

"Hermione?" Ron had his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" He whispered, a worried look on his face. "We can go home if you don't feel well." He told her.

"Don't be silly, I'm fine." She forced a smile, but Ron was not convinced. "I'm fine." She said, and Ron recognised that tone of voice as one not to argue with.

"So, when do you think your wedding will be?" Mrs Malfoy asked Ron and Hermione as they sat down on one of the sofas.

_Bellatrix was yelling at her._

"_Where did you get the sword!" _

"_I don't know!" Hermione cried back as pain seared through her._

"We were thinking a summer wedding, either June or July." Ron was saying. Hermione saw that the chandelier was hanging from the ceiling again.

"_Where did you get the sword!" Hermione was writhing and screaming. She wanted to die, she wanted the pain to stop, she couldn't even think the pain was so intense._

"Hermione, are you alright?" Draco drew Hermione back from the memories of her previous visit. She suddenly realised she was crying. The room was very quiet.

"Where is the toilet, please?" She asked shakily, and Mrs Malfoy instructed a house-elf to show her the way. She got up and walked out of the room as steadily as she could. She was very aware of everyone staring at her. As soon as she got to the massive bathroom, she locked the door tightly behind her, cast the 'muffliato' spell even though she still strongly disagreed with its origins, and screamed. She screamed until she was hoarse, she cried until her eyes ached. Sprawled across the marble floor, she collected her thoughts. Getting up and sorting her appearance out in the big mirror, she made her way back to the drawing room.

_Come on, Hermione,_ she told herself, _you can do this. Bellatrix is dead; no one will hurt you anymore._ As soon as she entered the room again, she saw that they were still sitting drinking coffee. Draco looked up at her, and Hermione knew that he could see that she was not alright.

"Who would like to see the garden?" He said suddenly, and the whole party agreed. Hermione gave him a thankful look.

"I'm sorry." Draco told her as they walked around the grounds. Draco and Hermione were at the back of the group and were walking slower than them.

"It's not your fault. I thought I could handle being in that room, but…" She took a deep breath.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked her, and she smiled at him.

"Yes. I am feeling a lot better to be outside. Thank you for getting us out of there." Draco nodded.

"Anytime. I'm here for you." She smiled at him gratefully.


	9. Chapter 9: Nightmares

Chapter 9: Nightmares

As they returned home, Hermione went straight into the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked her.

"I'm fine."

"Hermione, I know what happened. It was too much for you being in that room again, I understand."

"No you don't. You don't understand what it's like to be tortured, to be so near death that you black out. And even if you do I doubt you even know what it's like to be in that room again. Nothing has changed there for four years, it was exactly as I remembered it, exactly as I see it in my nightmares!"

"I thought you didn't have those nightmares anymore." Ron told her gently.

"Of course I do. Of course I still have those nightmares! Don't you?"

"Yes."

"Well then that was a stupid question, wasn't it?" Hermione was crying again. Reliving those memories had been extremely painful for her. "I'm sorry, I…"

"Shh," Ron hugged her gently and rocked her back and forth. "It's alright. I'm sorry you had to go through it again." They stood there for a while, hugging each other gently, and Hermione felt the calm wash over her. She was safe. She buried her head into Ron's shoulder and let the last few tears fall.

Hermione went to sleep that night with her mind reeling. Memories of the Manor flashed in her mind. She woke up many times that night, plagued by the memories she had buried down in her mind. At 1 in the morning, she gave up trying to sleep and went to the kitchen for a hot chocolate. She sat in the small room and stared at the steam that wafted from her mug.

"Why can't it leave me alone?" She whispered to her drink that just steamed at her. She sighed and decided she would go for a walk. After finishing her drink and, getting dressed as quietly as she could, she took a look at her fiancé. His snores were comforting, and she felt a wave of affection for the redhead. Closing the door behind her, she left the apartment with only her keys and her wand. She walked around the block for a while, and decided to go to her childhood park. She walked into a side alley and, once she had made sure that no one was around, apparated to the playground. It was exactly as she remembered it: the swings were swaying gently in the night breeze, and the slide cast shadows onto the dark ground. Hermione headed straight for the large hammock and lay in it, gazing at the stars.

"Beautiful night here," said a voice from the shadows, and Hermione reeled around, wand raised. Draco Malfoy was sitting on the climbing frame not too far away, staring intently at the sky.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked him, her wand still raised.

"I couldn't sleep, and I remember you telling me about this place when we were at school. I figured it would be deserted." He looked round at her, and seemed surprised to see the wand up.

"What kind of piano appeared in our room?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"It was a white grand piano." Draco shrugged. "I never looked at the brand."

"That's not good enough."

"Granger, do you really think I'm not me?"

"I want to be sure."

"You always wanted a cat to name Simba after one of your muggle films," Draco told her, looking back at the sky, and Hermione put her wand away; only Draco and her parents knew that.

"Why are you here?" Hermione asked him suspiciously.

"I couldn't sleep. Nightmares. This is where I go to take my mind off of things." Hermione laughed. "What?"

"You expect me to believe you go to a playground whenever you can't sleep?" Draco smiled at her.

"What's so hard to believe? Isn't that what you're doing?"

"Yes, but this is a place that means something to me. It helps me feel like a child again, before the war…"

"This place holds meaning for me as well." Hermione snorted.

"How?"

"It is the only place I know where I can escape from the magical world, be free of all of the prejudice around me." Hermione lay back down on her hammock.

"Why here?"

"You told me about it, and it seemed like a nice place. I wish I'd had this kind of place as a kid."

"Why couldn't you sleep?" Hermione asked him after a pause.

"The usual. I make a habit of coming here and watching the daybreak. But tonight was especially bad; seeing you react to being in the Manor brought back so much…" he broke off.

"I'm sorry for how I acted. I just…" Draco was walking towards her hammock and had reached her. She sat up, and he placed himself beside her. They both sat in the still of the night, listening to the silence around them. Neither heard the faint 'pop' from behind them in the shadows.

"Does Weasley know you're here?" Draco asked her suddenly.

"No; he was still asleep when I left. I left a note, though, so he knows I didn't leave him or something." Draco suddenly pointed at the stars.

"That's my constellation." Hermione looked and smiled.

"I'd love to be named after a constellation; my name comes from a Shakespearian book."

"A what book?"

"A book written by Shakespeare. He was a playwright during the 16th to 17th centuries."

"Right. And your parents named you after a character?"

"Yes, because their first date was to see that play." Draco smiled.

"That's nice." Hermione nodded.

"Hermione?" Ron had appeared behind the bushes.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you weren't at home, and saw your note. I wanted to know that you were ok, but obviously you don't need my company."

"Nothing's going on, we were just talking." Draco told Ron, standing up.

"Of course. Are you ready to come home?" Hermione nodded, but before she could say her goodbyes to Draco, Ron had apparated her back to the apartment. Draco was left in the deserted playground, staring at the spot Hermione had been just seconds before. Sitting back down on the hammock, he watched the first rays of sunlight chase the night away.


	10. Chapter 10: Mission

Chapter 10: Mission

Hermione was interrupted by a knock on her office door. Her assistant entered, and walked over to her desk.

"Mr Weasley asked me to give you this urgently," handing her boss the note, Claire walked out again, shutting the door behind her. Hermione opened the folded piece of paper and read:

_Dear Hermione,_

_Something has come up, and I'm going to have to be gone for a while. This mission is highly confidential, and I wish I could have said goodbye properly. I don't know when I'll be back, but I want you to know that I love you very much, and think of you always. I promise to be back safely._

_Love,_

_Ron._

Hermione frowned at the note, folded it up, took another piece of paper, and started writing. Once she had finished her letter, she went to see Claire.

"Could you go to the Owlery and send this to Ginny Weasley. Sorry, Ginny Potter. I need to remember to call her that now." Claire smiled and told her she would. Hermione then returned to her desk to work. Whenever Ron went on a mission, she knew that Harry had too, and that meant that her and Ginny would spend most of their time together, so as not to feel so alone in their empty homes. Hermione was even considering getting a dog for when Ron went away.

Ginny apparated into Hermione's flat when she had finished training. Ginny went straight into the kitchen and started making a cup of tea. Once she had made the tea, Hermione apparated home, looking dishevelled and tired.

"Thank you," she yawned as Ginny handed her the mug of hot brew. The two witches went into the lounge and sat down.

"How was your day?" The redhead asked the brunette.

"Exhausting. I had so many meetings and letters."

"At least you are making the world a better place." Hermione smiled a grateful smile.

"What about you? How's training going?"

"Fantastic, I love it. Also, I have figured out what I'm going to do when I have children."

"Ginny, don't you think you're a bit young to think about children?"

"Don't worry!" Ginny swatted the air with her hand, "I'm not planning on having children yet; I like Quidditch too much. I've still got about 5 years before I worry about it. Anyway, I think I'm going to be a Quidditch writer." Hermione contemplated this.

"Yes. Yes, that sounds like a good job that you can do with young children about. I approve, Ginny, I think you chose well." Ginny raised her mug as thanks, and smiled at Hermione.

"So. How's the planning going?"

"What planning?"

"Your wedding!"

"Oh! I had forgot about that…" Ginny stared at her wide-eyed. "Sorry, I've had a lot on my plate: I've been busy with work, Draco's back in my life and is bringing back old memories, I'm not sleeping well, and I gave my dad a heart attack when I told him I was engaged." Hermione sipped her tea.

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault." Hermione sighed.

"Sure feels like it is." Ginny looked at the young witch who was deep in thought, lost in her own world.

"Right, we're going out." Hermione stared at Ginny blankly.

"What?"

"We're going out tonight. We're not staying in. The boys have their mission and we have ours."

"And what's that exactly?"

"We are on a mission to have fun!" Hermione laughed.

"We are not going out."

"Yes we are!"

"I have work in the morning!"

"So? We don't have to stay out too late. I also have to be in tomorrow, so we'll be back by about 12. Is that alright?" Hermione looked and the redhead and sighed. Ginny had that look in her eyes that Hermione was all too familiar with; there was no arguing with her.

"I don't have anything to wear." Ginny grinned.

"I'm sure you do. You could always borrow some of my things." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You're smaller than I am, they won't fit." It was Ginny's turn to roll her eyes, and Hermione put her face in her hand. "Sorry, forgot we could change them with magic." They started to laugh. After finishing their cups of tea, the two witches went into Hermione's room to look for something for the eldest to wear.

"What about this?" Ginny was holding out a black skirt. "Maybe not," she said after looking at it properly, "it's too formal." Hermione smiled.

"You won't find anything here."

"Aha!" Ginny cried in triumph. "This is perfect!" Ginny had pulled out a little black dress that she had bought Hermione about two years previously. "I have never seen you in this." Hermione blushed.

"I've never had the opportunity." She mumbled, but Ginny brushed the comment aside.

"No excuses." Ginny handed her the dress, and ushered her into the bathroom. Hermione grumbled very little; she knew there was no arguing with Ginny when she was on a 'mission'. So Hermione sat very patiently as Ginny did her make-up and hair.

"Not too much glitter this time Ginny." Hermione knew Ginny was scowling at her, but she obeyed. When she'd finished, Hermione looked at herself, shrugged, and got up.

"That's it? That's all I get for my hard work?"

"It looks very nice, thank you."

"Not 'it'; 'you' look very nice."

"Yes, you do." Ginny scowled, but couldn't help but smile at her fried; she knew Hermione was just trying to wind her up.

"Thank you for the make-up." Ginny bowed, and Hermione laughed.

Ginny apparated Hermione to a nearby wizard bar and ordered two butterbeers.

"I don't know why, but nothing will ever be as good as a nice butterbeer." Hermione nodded fiercely in agreement.

"Cheers to that!" Hermione and Ginny clunked glasses and drank. They found a table near the back and sat there. Once in a while, somebody would come up to them asking for an autograph, and both girls signed page after page, drank drink after drink, and moved on to firewhisky.

"Ginny! I should stop!" Hermione giggled. "I'm getting so giggly!" Ginny just giggled at her and ordered more. Next thing Hermione knew she was dancing with Ginny in the throng of people.

"I haven't had this much fun since your wedding!" Hermione shouted at Ginny.

"Me either!" Both girls laughed and danced and sang and drank until closing time.

"I have to admit, I am glad you dragged me out tonight. I needed it." Ginny laughed and they both fell into the nearest bench.

"We should go to a park." Ginny whispered. Hermione giggled.

"Why?"

"Swings!" Ginny was wide-eyed; Ginny loved swings, and Hermione couldn't help but agree, so off to a park they went. They opened the gate and made sure nobody was there. Hermione had no idea what time it was, but for once she didn't care. Ginny was right; she worried too much. Both of the girls made a bee-line for the swings, and pushed off. Ginny and Hermione squeeled with laughter.

"Higher!" Hermione shouted at Ginny, and Ginny swung harder. Hemrione was sure that if she reached out a hand she could touch the moon. As she was at the highest point, she heard a snap, and saw the ground plummeting towards her.


	11. Chapter 11: Old Wounds

Chapter 11: Old Wounds

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled out in panic. Hermione was lying on her stomach on the ground. Everything hurt; she was sure she had broken something. Ginny was beside her, but Hermione hadn't recovered from the blow, and just groaned. "I have to get you to a hospital!"

"No, no, please." Hermione whispered, but Ginny didn't listen, and apparated them both away.

"Please, help, we were on some swings and my friend's swing broke and she fell and..." Hermione was barely conscious at this point and her head was throbbing, but she was very aware of people putting her on a stretcher and taking her to an examination room.

A few hours later, Hermione woke up.

"Hermione?" Ginny whispered, white-faced. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but promptly threw up on the floor. She heard Ginny yell out and jump back, but Hermione was too weak to care.

"Hello Ms Granger, how are you this morning?" Hermione recognised the person speaking, but she didn't know from where.

"Who are you?" She whispered.

"I'm your doctor, Dr Patil."

"Patil? Wait," Hermione tried to focus, and suddenly her memory came back to her. "Parvati?" Parvati Patil smiled at her and blushed slightly.

"I'm glad you remember me. That means your long-term memory is fine." Hermione shut her eyes.

"I feel like every piece of my body is broken." Parvati smiled.

"You'll be fine; you had some broken bones and your left arm was fractured, but we fixed that easily enough. You may get some bruising on your body, but they are easily treated, as I'm sure you know." Hermione was trying to pay attention, but she felt so ill that she just wanted to sleep. Ginny's voice drifted into the background along with Parvati's as Hermione drifted back to sleep.

The next day, Hermione walked into work and hurried into her office. Luckily enough for her, there were no stories about her accident in the Daily Prophet, and for that she was grateful. Her body was covered in bruises, but she had refused to let Ginny touch any of them. Part of her blamed Ginny for what had happened, but she knew she shouldn't; nobody was to blame really. Besides, Ginny felt bad enough as it is.

"Good morning, Granger." Draco burst into her office, making her flinch. "Are you alright? I saw you didn't come into work yesterday."

"I took a day off." Hermione pulled at the long sleeves she was wearing. She had stayed in hospital the day before to make sure there was no lasting damage. Draco was eyeing her suspiciously.

"You don't take days off."

"How would you know? You've been in prison for the past 4 years." She grumbled at him, and he put his hands up in surrender.

"Sorry. Are you alright?" He asked quietly, and Hermione nodded.

"Now, I would like to work, if you don't mind." Hermione stared at the documents in front of her, hoping Draco would get the hint and leave. She heard the door close, and looked up to see that he had gone, and she put her hands to her face. The hospital had wanted to keep her there for another day, but Hermione was getting restless; she hated missing work. The hospital had released her rather reluctantly on the promise that she would pop by in the evening.

At lunchtime, Hermione was immersed in an old file when Draco entered her office again.

"You really should knock." Hermione told him from behind the file.

"What happened to your arms?" Draco whispered, but Hermione was too busy writing notes.

"Hmm?" She asked, still not looking up.

"Your arms. They're covered in bruises!" Hermione looked at her arms and realised that she had rolled her sleeves up while working. Her forearms were covered in black and purple splodges, and Hermione quickly covered them up with her sleeves again.

"You really need to learn to knock." She told him again, more agitated now.

"Was it Weasley?"

"What?" Hermione stared wide-eyed. "No. No! Ron would never-"

"Because I swear, Hermione, if he ever lays one hand on you-"

"Ron has never hit me and never will! Besides, I can take care of myself!"

"Then what the hell happened to your arms?" Draco was yelling now. "Who gave those to you?"

"Why, do you want to send them some flowers?" Hermione sneered.

"Don't attack me, who gave you those?"

"It's none of your business." Hermione snapped at him.

"Hermione." Draco said it so softly that Hermione just caved.

"I fell off of a swing." She mumbled.

"You what?"

"I fell off of a swing." Draco tried not smiling, but failed miserably. He started to laugh.

"You fell off of a swing? That's what happened?" Draco laughed. "I was so worried. Why were you so defensive?"

"Because it's embarrassing. It was also quite severe; I had to go to hospital."

"Which was why you weren't here yesterday. Why didn't you just say it? Why did you try and hide it?"

"Because it's embarrassing!" Draco smiled at her.

"I was worried."

"Nice to know you care." Draco poked his tongue out at her, and this made Hermione smile. There was a shy knock on the door, and Claire poked her head around the door.

"Is everything alright? I heard yelling." She looked quite nervous, almost as if she expected Hermione to yell at her next.

"Everything's fine, thank you. I think we're going to have lunch now." Claire nodded, and left the office as fast as she could. Walking to the cafeteria, Hermione told Draco what had happened that night. Draco frowned.

"It seems odd that the swing broke." Draco was deep in thought, but Hermione waved the suspicion away.

"It was an old swing."

"Hermione…"

"No, Draco. Stop being suspicious of everything!" Hermione snapped. "It was my fault; no one is to blame." Draco looked at her and nodded to show that he would drop the subject.

That evening, as Hermione came home from her check up at the hospital to find Ron yelling.

"Hermione!" He rushed to her and gave her a huge hug, which made Hermione cry out in pain. "I'm sorry!" He let go and looked at her. "What happened? I heard about your accident. How are you? Are you in pain? Shouldn't you be in hospital?" Hermione shut the front door that still hung open and walked into the lounge.

"I'm fine, everything's healed."

"I can see at least one bruise that hasn't." Hemrione rolled her eyes.

"Bruises go fast enough. Besides, I don't have time to stand there and have ointment rubbed all over me."

"All over? Hermione, how many bruises do you have?"

"You're making a fuss over nothing, Ron, I'm fine. I've just been for a check-up and they've given me the green light."

"The what?"

"The green light, the 'all-clear'."

"But-"

"No. I don't want to hear another word about it." Ron sighed and hugged her gently.

"I was so worried." He told her softly, and she smiled.

"You sound like Draco." She felt him tense, and regretted that comment.

"Draco. Right." He started to walk away from her.

"Ron, I only meant-"

"So Draco found out before I did?"

"I didn't know when you'd be back! You're supposed to be on a mission, you told me you wouldn't be back for a while."

"Yes, well I'm back now, aren't I?"

"Well-"

"And you just waltzed into work and said 'guess what Draco, I went to hospital'."

"Ron, you're acting like a child."

"Am I?" His ears had gone red. "Sorry if I'm offended that our old school bully who has just got out of prison heard about your accident before your fiancé did!"

"You weren't here!"

"I wasn't even gone for 3 days, and you already ran to Draco for comfort. Is that how long it takes to get over me? To go back to your old sweetheart?" _Slap!_ Hermione hand collided with Ron's face. He staggered back, shocked, and looked at Hermione who was livid.

"Don't. You. Dare! Accuse me of such things. I have not seen Draco in four years. He saw my bruises so I had to tell him. You were not here to tell. There is nothing, _nothing_," she emphasised, "between me and Draco. That piece of me died the day I said goodbye four years ago." Tears were rolling down her face.

"Hermione-"

"I'm going to Ginny's. Don't follow me." Hermione disapparated to the Potters before Ron could say anything to make her stay.

"Hermione?" Ginny cried as her friend stepped in from their hallway.

"Hey," she whimpered.

"Hermione!" Harry called from the kitchen. "It's lovely to see you, I heard what… Hermione?" He had seen her face. "Hermione, what happened?"

"Can I stay here tonight?" She sniffed and tried to wipe some tears away.

"Of course! Do you want a cup of tea?" Ginny asked.

"No, you want a hot chocolate." Harry stated, and Hermione gave him a little smile as a thank you. As Harry walked back to the kitchen, Hermione gave Ginny a hug, and told her what happened between her and Ron that evening.

"He has no right! Oh, Hermione." Ginny was rubbing her arm gently in support, and Hermione sniffed again.

"Ron has always been insecure when it comes to you. Remember when he thought that there was something between us just because you stayed when we were on the hunt." Hermione took the drink Harry gave her and sipped her it in silence.

"He'll come around." Ginny told her.

"Thanks guys." She whispered, fresh tears falling into her drink.

"Don't cry; you'll make your hot chocolate salty." Hermione laughed a bit and Harry smiled at her.

"I think I'll go to bed. Sorry to burst in on you two like this."

"Hermione, really, it's no problem." She hugged the two Potters and went to the guest bedroom.

"Oh, Ginny?" Hermione called. "Could I borrow some Pyjamas?"


	12. Chapter 12: Plans

Chapter 12: Plans

"What colour do you want the flowers?"

"Where do you want the flowers?"

"Where do you want me to get the flowers from?" Hermione was sure that if one more person asked anything about flowers she would scream.

"I need a break." Hermione grumbled, but Mrs Weasley, Fleur, Mrs Granger, and Ginny just spoke over her.

"No, no, not roses; they're too cliché. I had lilies but I think lilacs would suit her better." Hermione just fiddled with the book of flowers they had laid in front of her.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" Hermione looked up.

"Would lilacs be acceptable?" Mrs Weasley, Fleur, and Ginny were all staring at her, waiting for her final say.

"Yes, yes, I love lilacs." Ginny squealed.

"I knew it! Oh Hermione, this wedding is going to be amazing!"

"Yes." Hermione sighed; Ron and her had been avoiding each other since their fight, and talking about their wedding was making Hermione wonder whether they'll be speaking when it finally comes around. "Is that it for today? I'm really tired." She didn't wait for a reply before saying goodbye to the three women and walked to the perimeter.

"Hermione!" It was Ginny. Hermione stopped to let the girl catch up. "Hermione, what's wrong? You were so excited for my wedding, you participated and led pretty much every decision; what's wrong?" Hermione started to cry.

"Ron and I haven't spoken since we fought. It was nearly a week ago." Ginny hugged her friend, and Hermione cried silently on her shoulder.

"You two will be ok, I'm sure. You two just need to talk about it."

"We always fight! What if…" Hermione's lips trembled.

"Hermione, Ron loves you too much to lose you. You two will be just fine, you'll see." Hermione nodded in thanks and wiped her eyes.

"I better be getting home anyway." Ginny nodded, and waved as Hermione disapparated in front of her. Once home, Hermione collapsed in the lounge, and let the silence fill her ears.

"Hermione?" She recognised Ron's voice and followed it, curiously. As soon as she entered the dining room, she gasped. Ron was standing at the other end of the table, looking very apologetic. He had set the table with the most expensive china and cutlery they had, candles sat lit in the middle of their little table, and soft music was playing in the background. Ron came towards her shyly with a single rose. "This is my way of saying I'm sorry for what I said the other day. Not talking to you has been killing me, and I've been trying to find a way to make it up to you. I figured you needed one night to feel special. You deserve it; you are everything to me, and I am going to try and not snap like I did. I'm truly sorry, Hermione. I love you." He held out the rose for her to take. She accepted it, and kissed him.

"It's wonderful, Ron. Thank you." She had tears in her eyes again, but for and entirely different reasons than before; she was happy.

"I cooked you your favourite dinner." Hermione smiled at him.

"I love you so much." She told him in a whisper and kissed him again.

After the meal, Hermione and Ron were sitting on the sofa cuddling. The silence around them was soothing this time, not suffocating, and Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had felt so content.

"How's the wedding planning coming along?" Ron asked her.

"The usual. We've finally decided on the flowers."

"Roses? Jasmines? Periwinkle?" Ron said, and Hermione shook her head and laughed.

"No, Ginny's decided on lilacs."

"Ah, lilacs. I like lilacs." Hermione smiled.

"So do I. Tomorrow we're going to go through the invitation list, so you need to be there too." Ron groaned.

"Do I have to? My mother knows who I want to invite."

"Hey, if I have to go through this, so do you. Besides, you're supposed to be planning your half, like the food and what the men are wearing. I'm guessing Harry's the best man."

"How did you guess?" Ron kissed her forehead, and she snuggled closer to him.

"I'm so glad you saved me from that troll." She whispered as she started to go to sleep. "I'm so glad you found me."

"So am I." He replied softly, stroking her hair. "So am I."

The next day, Hermione nearly skipped into work with her heart full of love and joy. She and Ron were talking again; Hermione could not have asked for more.

"Good morning, Granger, you're happy." Draco grinned at her.

"Good morning," Hermione told him enthusiastically, "how are you?"

"I'm great. You haven't shown this much enthusiasm in seeing me since we were at school. What happened?"

"Ron and I made up." Hermione smiled, taking off her coat and hanging it up.

"I didn't realise you were fighting."

"We're always fighting about something. Don't ask me what about, because it's none of your business." Draco smiled.

"It's great to see you so happy." He told her, and Hermione smiled at him.

"It's great to feel this happy. Draco?" She called as he went to leave her office.

"Yes?"

"Are you happy?" Draco looked at her and smiled. "I am the happiest I have been in five years." Hermione smiled at him, and he left her.

At lunchtime, someone knocked on her door.

"Come in," she called from her desk as she continued writing notes. "Well, Draco, I'm glad to see you've learned to knock."

"Um…" Hermione looked up and blushed furiously, staring at Ron who was looking back confused.

"Sorry, I thought… Never mind." She smiled.

"Lunch time!" Called Draco, bursting into her office. He waltzed in and threw himself onto her sofa.

"I see why you were so surprised when you thought he'd learned to knock." Ron grinned at Hermione, who grinned back.

"Oh. Hey Weasley." Draco grinned at Ron.

"I need to get him a bell." She told Ron, who laughed.

"Well don't you two look cute," Draco drawled, and Hermione poked her tongue out at him. He grinned in response. "I guess I'll find another lunch partner."

"Well," Hermione started, looking at Ron, who sighed.

"Want to join us?" Ron asked Draco in the most unenthusiastic voice he had.

"If you put it that nicely, who can refuse?" Draco jested. "No, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. I have work to catch up on anyway. I'll see you later Granger, Weasley." He nodded to them, got off of the sofa and left her office. Hermione frowned after him.

"I feel really bad for him."

"Hermione, it's not your fault he doesn't have any friends. Besides you, of course," Ron added quickly as Hermione frowned at him.

"I want to invite home to the wedding." Hermione told Ron as they walked to the cafeteria.

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes. You're right; he doesn't have any friends. As he is my friend, he is, by extension, your friend also. Therefore, he will receive an invitation along with Harry, Seamus, Dean, Fred, George, Neville, Ginny, Luna, and everyone else." Ron opened his mouth to retort, but caught sight of her face, and closed his mouth again, nodding in defeat. Hermione smiled. "Good."


	13. Chapter 13: Invitations

Chapter 13: Invitations

Hermione and Ron had sat with their families and sorted through a long list of names of the people they were inviting.

"Alright, let's go through it one more time." Hermione sighed.

"We have your parents, Luna, the Patil twins, Claire, Harry, me, my parents and brothers, Fleur and her family, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Hannah, Lee, Katy, Alicia, Oliver, Kingsley, Teddy and his family, and I think that's it."

"I want to add Draco to that list." Hermione told Ginny; she was very aware of everybody's eyes on her.

"Draco? As in, Draco Malfoy?" Mrs Weasley was looking at her uncertainly. "My dear, are you sure?"

"I am. He was important to me once and I am still his friend, no matter what."

"He did give us a wedding gift…" Ginny whispered. "Fine; it's your wedding and you can invite who you like." Hermione smiled and Ginny wrote his name down. "Now, have you two decided on a date?"

"We thought of Saturday 8th of June." Ron told his sister, and she jotted it down.

"Right, I think we've got to the point where we can send out the invitations," she beamed at them.

It was nearing the end of August now, and Hermione's birthday was approaching. She couldn't believe that she was turning 23. It seemed like only yesterday she had received her Hogwarts letter. Ginny had already tried planning a big party for her, but Hermione had put her foot down; she would just have some drinks with her friends in the evening after lunch with her parents. On the 31st of August, Hermione was, as always, working in her office when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called out before looking up. "Ooh, look who learned to knock!" Draco laughed.

"I just wanted to say happy birthday before I left. Being 23 isn't all it's hyped up to be; it feels just like 22." Hermione smiled.

"Thank you."

"I also got you something," and from behind his back he produced a beautiful bouquet of tulips.

"Oh, they're beautiful!" Hermione whispered, walking towards where Draco stood.

"Well, I felt like I needed to get you something." Draco looked slightly embarrassed.

"Thank you so much!" Hermione hugged him. They stood there for a while, before breaking apart. Hermione felt the awkwardness fill the air. "Thanks for the flowers." Draco nodded and Hermione took them. "Draco? What are you doing tomorrow night?" Draco thought.

"Well, I normally just sit in the library of the Manor and read, so that."

"Do you want to come out tomorrow night? We're going for drinks at the pub, and maybe you'd want to join us?" Draco hesitated.

"I don't think Weasley would like that."

"Who cares? It's my birthday, and I want you there. Please? There will be cake." Draco smiled and Hermione smiled back.

"Alright. What time?"

"We're meeting at 9 at the 3 Broomsticks."

"The 3 Broomsticks? Talk about a blast from the past."

"Exactly," Hermione smiled. "I'll see you there then?" Draco nodded and bid her goodnight. Hermione's heart was fluttering with excitement.

As Hermione apparated home a few minutes later, she put the tulips in a vase and went straight to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.

"Hermione?" Ron called out.

"I'm in here." Ron appeared around the door, looking flustered. "What's wrong?" He had a painful expression on his face.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry."

"What's wrong? You're scaring me."

"Hermione. I have to go." Silence fell on the couple as Hermione stared at Ron.

"What do you mean you have to go? Go where?"

"A mission. I just got an owl as I was leaving." Hermione's eyes widened.

"You're not going to be here on my birthday." She whispered.

"I'm so sorry."

"And Harry?"

"He's on the mission too." Hermione nodded.

"Right, ok. So one of my best friends and my fiancé cannot come to my birthday. Alright then." Hermione was blinking back tears.

"Hermione." He hugged her tightly and a few tears fell down her face. "I have to leave now. I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. "Be safe." He kissed her forehead.

"Happy birthday." He kissed her again before walking out of their flat.


	14. Chapter 14: Birthday Girl

**Just a quick little note:**

**1- Keep in mind this is fanfiction. I've had a few people tell me how 'unbelievable' this story is because of this or that, but the point of fanfiction is that you can bend the rules. If you disagree with what I write, you are welcome to. Hermione and Draco are 'unbelievable' if you go by the books. Everything's 'unbelievable', but fanfiction is where you can change the storyline to what you want.**

**2- This is a slow story. I don't want to rush it like I did the first one. I skipped huge chunks of time and it became a bit hectic, so I'm going to go very slowly here. So please be patient; hopefully it'll be worth your time.**

Chapter 14: Birthday Girl

Hermione woke up in her empty apartment, feeling miserable. The silence that echoed around her was suffocating. Hermione lay in bed for what seemed like forever, letting the silence suffocate her, but when she was just about to doze off again, she heard a faint *pop* from outside her door, along with voices. She got up slowly and crept towards the door leading to the hallway. Very carefully, wand in hand, she flung the door open.

"Happy birthday!" They yelled, and Hermione screamed. She looked around to find Luna and Ginny standing in the doorway to her bedroom holding what looked like breakfast in bed. "I knew that Ron was away so we decided to make you breakfast!" Ginny looked ecstatic. Luna had the same dreamy look about her that she did while at school.

"Good morning, Hermione. You look quite shocked; is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes. You two just scared me, that's all. Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it."

"Get back in bed, then!" Ginny ushered Hermione back towards her bed, laughing. "Happy birthday. Ooh, did Ron give you those?" Ginny pointed to the tulips that Draco had given her the day before. The flowers were sitting in their vase on top of her dresser.

"No, they came from Draco." Ginny gave her a look that Hermione chose to ignore. "These pancakes are amazing, thank you."

"You're very welcome." Luna was gazing around Hermione's room. "You have a very nice bedroom. But I think that there –"

"So, what do you plan on doing today?" Ginny said, interrupting Luna's rambles. "Considering it's your birthday."

"Well, I have a lunch date with my parents, then dinner with your parents and then we're going to the pub."

"I haven't been to Hogsmead since we left school." Luna told them dreamily.

"Exactly why I want to go back. And I checked; it's not a day that the Hogwarts students are allowed out, so we won't bump into the little rascals." Ginny laughed.

"We'll let you get dressed then. Happy birthday!" Ginny and Luna bid Hermione goodbye and disapparated.

A few hours later, Hermione hopped off of the bus near the café her parents were meeting her for lunch. The 23 year old walked calmly into the small café and spotted her parents, who were waving at her from the corner. Hermione smiled and walked towards them.

"Happy birthday, darling!" Her mother hugged her tightly.

"Happy birthday, Hermione," her father hugged her gently and sat down. "How have you been? Where's Ron? I thought he was joining us?"

"He had to work." Hermione told him, and her mother put a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright; I'm sure he'll be home soon." Her mother nodded, and picked up her menu.

"I recommend the seafood salad; it is delicious." Rachel told Hermione.

"It does sound nice. I think I might go for that one."

"So how are things, Hermione?"

"Everything's fine. Work is going well, Draco and I are getting a lot done; we're very close to getting a law changed so that it's fair for muggle-borns."

"So you and Draco have been working quite closely together?"

"Yes, we're partners. Don't look at me like that." She told her mother who was giving her the same look Ginny had given her that morning. "We're just friends. It's been four years!"

"I didn't say anything." Her mother said. "So, I heard you were going to the Weasley's for dinner tonight."

The lunch carried on. Hermione told her parents everything that was happening in her life, as well as the fight her and Ron had had. Her parents had given her an old picture of them framed. It was the day that Hermione was off to Hogwarts. The little 11 year-old girl smiled at her through the glass, and Hermione couldn't help but wish she could go back there and experience the thrill of discovering a whole world again.

It was half 8 when Hermione and Ginny left finally left the Weasley's to go to the pub. The day had been packed, and Hermione was looking forward to spending time with her friends. She had to admit that she was glad that it had been such a busy day; it had kept her mind occupied so that she did not think of Ron too much. As she apparated to the pub, she saw that Luna was already sitting in a corner with a huge cake in front of her.

"Happy birthday!" She cried again as Hermione sat down.

"Déjà vu." Hermione smiled.

"Whom are we waiting for?" Ginny asked Hermione after she had ordered a butterbeer.

"Well, we're waiting for Neville and Draco."

"You invited Draco?" Ginny asked her, surprised.

"Yes; he is my friend and I invited him to my birthday, is that so wrong?"

"No, no. I'm just surprised. Oh look; Neville's here!" Neville walked over to where they sat and wished Hermione a happy birthday.

"How's teaching going, Neville?" Luna asked him, dreamily.

"It's great! I get to spend my days at Hogwarts and come here for drinks and shopping whenever I'm not teaching. I also get to enjoy the magnificent feasts. Nothing beats a Hogwarts feast."

"That is definitely true. Tell me," Hermione asked him, "where do the teachers sleep? Because I have never understood it."

"Well, there's a corridor that is usually locked unless you know the password, and we all have our own rooms and bathrooms there."

"Where is it? I don't remember seeing it on the map." Hermione took a sip of butterbeer.

"It's on the sixth floor, on the West side of the castle."

"Oh, right. How is it?"

"It's alright," Neville shrugged. "We don't have to stay there; we also have the option of staying in Hogsmead, or flooing home at night. It's much easier to sleep there, though. I am thinking of renting a place here, so that I don't have to always stay in the castle. It can get a bit restricting."

"How are things with Hannah?" Ginny asked him, and Neville blushed.

"Things are going great. It's getting really serious, which is partly the reason I want to rent a place here. I'm thinking of asking her to move in with me." The girls around the table gasped and shrieked in happiness.

"I'm so happy for you! Neville, I wish you and Hannah the best." Hermione told him, and he nodded in thanks.

"So, who else is coming tonight? Where are Ron and Harry?" Ginny and Hermione frowned.

"They had to work." Hermione said pointedly, and Neville dropped his head down. "We're still waiting for Draco." Neville looked up again.

"Draco? As in _the_ Draco Malfoy? Why did you invite him?" Neville looked aghast.

"Because he's my friend." Hermione told him. "Here he is." She smiled and waved at Draco who had just entered the pub. He walked over.

"Hey there! Happy birthday, Hermione!" He walked over and gave her a quick hug. "Luna," he nodded in her direction and she nodded back, "Neville. How are you? I heard you were teaching at Hogwarts now." He shook Neville's hand.

"Yes, Herbology."

"Well, it was always your best subject." Draco smiled at him. "And Weaslette. Except I can no longer call you that, can I?" Ginny smiled.

"No. But you can call me Ginny." Draco nodded and sat down next to Neville. The rest of the evening went by quickly. The atmosphere that surrounded them was one of joy, and Hermione was glad that Draco's presence hadn't frightened Neville off. In fact, Neville and Draco were acting as though they had always been friends. At around midnight, Neville bid them farewell and headed back to the castle, closely followed by Luna. Ginny stayed until one in the morning, before leaving too. She gave Hermione one last hug before going, and took another slice of cake home. The pub was starting to empty, so Hermione and Draco put the remaining slices of cake into a box and put it in Hermione's bag. As they walked around the deserted streets of Hogsmead, they reminisced about the times they had walked in those same streets all those years ago.

"I'll always remember when Harry snuck out in his invisibility cloak to look around Hogsmead." Hermione smiled.

"I remember that! He threw snowballs at me and Crabbe and Goyle."

"And then you nearly got him into trouble." Draco shrugged.

"I was 13 and sopping wet from a snowball fight. What can I say?" Draco smiled at Hermione. "Speaking of that day; let's go see the shrieking shack. I want to look at it at night." Hermione agreed and the two of them walked along the streets and found their way to the shack. The sight of it in the dark made Hermione shiver, and a pang of hurt went through her when she remembered Lupin. Draco sensed her sadness.

"What's wrong?" He whispered.

"I was remembering professor Lupin." Draco looked at her and put his arm around her.

"I'm sorry. I know he meant a lot to you."

"It's ok; it's been four years."

"Doesn't mean it's any easier." Hermione smiled grimly.

"That is very true." They stood there for a while looking at the old decrepit building. "It's so strange being here after so long." Draco nodded. "Let's sit down." Hermione and Draco walked over to a tree and sat up against it, hidden from view from anyone who came to investigate. They sat there in silence for a while, just content in the moment.

"I need to tell you about Azkaban." Draco told her suddenly, and she turned to look at him in surprise. Brown to grey, grey to brown.


	15. Chapter 15: Listen

Chapter 15: Listen

"I haven't told anyone. I need to. I feel like you are the only one I can tell." Hermione was looking intently on his pale face. He seemed far away, and Hermione saw the pain in his eyes.

"Ok." She whispered. He took a deep breath and put his face in his hands.

"I had no idea how long I was in there. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. I never complained once; I felt like I deserved it. I feel like I should still be in there."

"You did your sentence, Draco. You saved our lives!"

"I know. But when you're in Azkaban you can react in one of three ways: either you go mad with guilt, or because the solitude gets to you, or you just sit in silence contemplating every decision you've ever made. My father is in the first category." Hermione took his hand in hers, and he squeezed it. "His cell was near mine and I could hear him shout and scream. He would scream for death, for my mother, for anyone."

"Did you talk to him?"

"No. I didn't want to. By the end of my stay he wasn't making any sense anymore. Azkaban breaks you. The silence and the solitude." Draco fell silent for a while. "I had a lot of time to think in there. One of the things I missed the most was reading; we weren't allowed books. I went through in my head all of the stories I could remember, and I used to just close my eyes and think. I would think about the manor, I would think about Hogwarts. I would wonder what job I would get after I was released, and I wondered who would hire me. Only one thing kept me sane. One thought would go round and round my head. I would wonder about you." Draco looked at her and Hermione avoided his gaze. "I wondered where you were. I thought about who you were with, if they made you happy. I thought about your home; how you would decorate it, how many books would you have. I thought about your appearance; how different would you look from your 18-year-old self. I thought about how you'd dress. I thought about your smile. I focused on the memories I had of you and me in our room in Hogwarts. I used to hum the tune that I taught you, and it made me smile. You are what kept me sane. Only you: your smile, your laugh, and your eyes. Everything about you kept my hope alive. If I didn't have you I would have gone mad." Draco was looking intently at Hermione at this point, but she still avoided his gaze. The silence that now surrounded both of them was frightening, and Hermione was very aware that she should say something. "I knew that you would not wait for me. Four years is a long time, and I knew that you would have to have moved on with your life, but you have to understand where I'm coming from. When they released me a year early my first thought was you, and when I saw you…" He trailed off. He was staring straight ahead again, and Hermione was glad. "I know that you've moved on with your life, but my life…" He trailed off again.

"Your life was put on hold for four years." Hermione whispered and Draco nodded. They sat in silence for a while.

"Even though I have been out of your life for so long, you have still stood by my side. That is more than I could have asked for." Hermione squeezed his hand again.

"I still want you in my life. I loved you once; you will always be important to me." Draco nodded.

"That is all I could ask for." Hermione smiled at him and put her head on his shoulder. "Why couldn't you tell Ron that you loved him?" Hermione was startled.

"Excuse me?"

"Before you went into the Room of Requirement, he told you that he loved you and you didn't say anything. Why not?" Hermione was looking at Draco with a confused expression.

"How do you know about that? And why on Earth have you brought that up?" Draco shrugged.

"Like I said; I had a lot of time to think." Hermione closed her eyes and went through her memories.

"I don't know. I guess I was put on the spot and I couldn't say it."

"But you do love him."

"Yes I do. If I didn't love him why would I have said yes when he proposed to me?" Draco shrugged again.

"Maybe because that's what everyone expects of you; everyone expects you and Weasley to get married and have two kids and be the perfect couple next to Harry and Ginny." Hermione laughed.

"We are hardly the perfect couple. I love him; I did not say yes to live up to everyone's expectations."

"Good. I just want you to be happy." Draco fell silent again, and Hermione put her head back on his shoulder. They sat there in silence for hours, and Hermione started to drift off. The last thing she remembered was watching the sunrise before she fell asleep.


	16. Chapter 16: Morning

Chapter 16: Morning

When Hermione woke up, she was surprised to find herself in her bedroom. She was still fully dressed in her clothes of the night before: a fact that was reassuring. She took a shower and got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before heading out into the hallway. Draco was standing in the doorway of the guest room opposite yawning his head off.

"Morning Granger." He told her mid-yawn.

"Morning Malfoy." She smirked. "How did I get here?"

"Well, we both sort of fell asleep in Hogsmead, and I woke up at around 5, but you were not having it. I have to say, Granger, you are one deep sleeper." Hermione blushed furiously but laughed.

"So, what? You brought me home and decided that you would sleep here?" Draco shrugged.

"Why not? It beats going back to the manor."

"What time is it?" Draco looked at his watch.

"It is one o'clock." Hermione stared at him.

"One o'clock in the evening? As in: 1pm? As in: I slept through the whole morning?" Draco nodded and laughed at her shocked expression.

"Relax; you needed a good night's sleep." Hermione was still staring at him.

"I have never done this before." She whispered, and Draco laughed uncertainly.

"You've never had a lie in?" Hermione shook her head, and Draco laughed. Hermione couldn't help but join in.

"I feel like I've wasted a day." She whispered, but before she could say anything more, her stomach growled.

"I feel like you're hungry. Stay here; I'll fix you some lunch." He walked away before she could argue against it.

At five in the afternoon, Hermione and Draco were sat in her living room watching a program on the television.

"So this is what muggles do for fun?" Draco asked, looking at the square box curiously.

"Yep; this is what muggles do for fun."

"I have to say; it is quite cool." Draco looked slightly impressed.

"I used to watch all of my favourite films on television."

"What's a film?" Draco asked her curiously.

"I would say a moving picture, but that doesn't help. I guess it's a visual version of a book." Draco looked intrigued.

"Can we watch one?" Draco asked excitedly, and Hermione laughed.

"You're such a child. Ron wasn't the least bit interested really. He doesn't see the point." Draco smirked.

"I'm guessing he didn't inherit his father's curiosity about the muggle world." Hermione shrugged.

"He's allowed his opinion. So: what do you want to watch? I have comedies, romances, horrors, my old children's films, thrillers, and some I don't even know what category they fit into."

"Let's watch a comedy." Hermione nodded and took out a box full to the brim of DVDs. "What are these?"

"These are discs. They hold the information, the visuals and the sound." Draco looked confused, and Hermione sighed. "It's really difficult to explain this kind of thing." Draco smiled.

"I think you're doing a great job." He told her sarcastically. Hermione answered by sticking her tongue out at him.

"Right, so, which one?" Hermione held the box to Draco and he picked one at random.

"This one?" Draco asked uncertainly. "It looks, um, interesting." Hermione laughed.

"I love that film!" Hermione grabbed it from him and went to the DVD player.

"'10 things I Hate About You'." Draco was looking as though he was trying not to laugh. "That doesn't sound very nice." Hermione laughed in excitement.

"It's a great film!" Hermione pressed play and shushed Draco when he tried to speak.

Two hours later, Hermione and Draco were laughing so hard that they found it hard to breathe.

"I have to say, that was a great film." Draco said, wiping away tears. Hermione laughed a bit more.

"I have watched that film so many times." They sat in silence for a while, before Draco walked over to the other boxes that sat beneath the TV.

"Let's watch another one! What about a horror film?" Hermione practically jumped off of the sofa.

"Really? You want to watch a horror film?" Draco nodded, and Hermione smiled. "There's this one film that I bought about a week ago but haven't had the time to watch it yet."

"Is it a horror film?" Draco asked excitedly, and Hermione nodded.

"It came out earlier this year. It's called '28 Days Later'. It's a zombie film."

"What are zombies?"

"Well, zombies are basically people who are brought back to life, but they're only interested in eating people who are still alive. If a zombie bites you, you get turned into a zombie, and the only way to kill them is to destroy their brain." Draco stared at her for a moment before speaking.

"They sound a bit like Inferi." Hermione paused and looked at Draco.

"I had never made that connection." She whispered. "That sheds a whole new light on things."

"So, are we watching it?" Hermione nodded.

Three hours and twenty minutes later, Hermione and Draco were curled up on the sofa together, clutching each other for dear life.

"That was…" Hermione said shakily.

"The scariest thing I have ever seen." Draco finished. They both sat very still, both slightly afraid to move, before a door slammed behind them.

"Evening Hermione!" The two on the sofa screamed and jumped off of the sofa, tripped over the coffee table and went flying. The person who had spoken laughed. "You two are hilarious!"

"Ginny?" Hermione said as she stood up. Draco was still lying on the floor.

"Hey Hermione; I was checking how you were."

"Don't sneak up on people like that!" Hermione scolded her. "You scared us."

"Why were you so jumpy?" Ginny asked, smirking at Hermione and scowling at Draco who was still sprawled on the floor.

"We watched a horror film." Hermione mumbled, and Ginny put her hands on her hips.

"Hermione, what have I told you about watching horror films? You never sleep afterwards!"

"But-"

"No 'buts'! For the brightest witch of our age you can make really stupid decisions." Draco laughed. "Don't know why you're laughing." Ginny snapped, and Draco fell silent. "Get up!" She told him before storming off into the kitchen.

"Well, she's a delight." Draco told Hermione as he stood up. "Oh." He looked down to see that the plates that had held their dinner had smashed as they had fallen. "I'll replace them, I promise, I am so sorry." Hermione was looking at him incredulously.

"Reparo." She waved her wand at the plates and they shot back together. "At least I'm not the only one who says stupid things," and Draco looked slightly ashamed of himself. Hermione laughed. "It's alright; it happens to all of us." Draco shrugged.

"Should we go seek out Ms Bossy over there?" Draco asked Hermione.

"I heard that!" Ginny yelled from the kitchen, and Hermione laughed. The two of them walked to where Ginny was standing, cup of tea in hand and a stern expression on her face. "Draco, do you mind giving us some privacy?" She asked in a sickly sweet tone of voice. Draco nodded and all but fled out of the room. Ginny then turned to Hermione, eyes blazing. "What the hell are you doing?"


	17. Chapter 17: Ginny's Fury

Chapter 17: Ginny's Fury

Hermione took a step back.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" Ginny was fuming. "I saw you two on the sofa. You looked very cuddly. What is he doing here anyway? Did you miss the intimacy? Let me guess: he only wanted a cuddle?" Ginny was trying so hard not to scream, and Hermione took out her wand. "What, you're going to fight me?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Muffliato," she pointed her wand at the door. "So that Draco doesn't hear my mother yelling at me for having a boy over." Hermione told Ginny sarcastically, and Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"What is he doing here, and how long has he been here?"

"We've been spending the day watching films. And for your information he's been here since last night." Ginny's expression tightened.

"So you came home together?" She seethed.

"Well, uh…" Hermione was retreating under Ginny's glare. "He, uh, he took me home."

"Why?"

"I fell asleep." Hermione mumbled.

"Really?" Ginny looked as though she might explode. Hermione squared her shoulders.

"We went to the shrieking shack and we started talking and I fell asleep. He woke up and couldn't wake me so he brought me home."

"Let me guess: he just happened to fall asleep next to you in your bed?"

"No! He used the spare room!" Hermione yelled back, making Ginny flinch. "I don't know what you think of me Ginny, but I would never do that to Ron. I would never cheat and the fact that you think I would really hurts. Draco and I are just friends, what we had died the day we said goodbye, and the sooner you get your head round it the better." Ginny stared at Hermione and shook her head.

"I know you wouldn't cheat; I'm trying to warn you. What would have happened had Ron come home to find you and Draco like that on the sofa? You two looked very comfortable sitting in each other's arms. Ron isn't as forgiving as me; you know that. I don't want you hurting my brother because you can't let your old lovebird go."

"We're just friends!"

"Maybe to you, but you are leading him on! You let him hold you and comfort you. You let him back into your life. Who's to say that he doesn't still have feelings for you?" Hermione sighed.

"Ginny, I can handle this. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you? Because it really doesn't look like it from here." Hermione was taken aback by that comment.

"You don't think I still have feelings for him? You don't seriously think that?" Ginny shrugged.

"He's been out of your life for so long; who's to say that the old feelings won't resurface. Just please-"

"Don't hurt Ron, I know." Ginny sighed. "What are you doing here, anyway?" Hermione asked the redhead.

"I'm lonely. Harry's gone, and Luna's busy. Neville's at Hogwarts teaching and whatnot, and everyone else in my family has something to do." Hermione looked at the her.

"Do you want to watch a film with us?" Ginny looked at Hermione and shrugged.

"Why not? But I'm sitting in the middle. And no horror films!" Hermione held her hands up to show that she wasn't about to argue, and Ginny nodded.


	18. Chapter 18: Remember Us

Chapter 18: Remember Us

Hermione walked into work on the Monday feeling refreshed. Draco had left her flat at around 9 the previous night, and Ginny had stayed only long enough to lecture her one final time, before she had called it a night as well.

"Morning Granger!" Draco called as he swaggered into her office.

"I see you have once again forgotten to knock." Hermione told him, and he smirked at her.

"How are you?"

"I am very well, and yourself?"

"A bit tired. I didn't get to sleep last night." Hermione frowned.

"Nightmares?" She asked, and Draco nodded, but shrugged.

"I'm used to them."

"You never get used to them." Hermione told him, and Draco avoided her gaze. She sat down at her desk and started sorting out the files that Claire had left for her.

"So, is Weasley back yet?"

"Not yet. Have you seen the file that we were working on Friday?" Hermione asked him.

"I think it's in my office. So what are you going to do tonight?" Hermione frowned at him.

"Why?"

"I was wondering if you could show me a bit more of the muggle world. Those films were quite impressive, and I was wondering if I could borrow some muggle books and other things…" Draco trailed off, and Hermione was looking at him, an idea brewing in her mind. "What are you thinking about?"

"There's a new film out at the moment that I haven't had time to see." Draco looked up.

"You have it on one of those disc thingies?" Hermione laughed.

"No, it's not on DVD yet; it's in the cinema." Draco frowned. "It's where they show it in a room full of people and you all watch it on a big screen."

"That sounds great. I don't have any muggle money, though, I'm assuming you need to pay for it?"

"Yes, but it's ok, I can pay for it."

"Granger, we're not dating. I'd rather pay for myself. So, how much would it cost in our money." Hermione started working it out in her head. "What kind of film is it?" Draco asked her.

"Action. Looks fun. Fifteen pounds is…" Hermione started writing it out on a piece of paper. "3 Galleons. If you agreed to go it would cost you 3 Galleons. Is that alright?" Draco rifled in his pocket and pulled out some coins.

"When were you thinking of going?" Draco asked her, counting his money.

"We could go straight after work?" Hermione said tentatively, and Draco nodded.

"Here, 3 Galleons." He handed her the coins and Hermione thanked him.

"So, we'll leave here when we finish and see when we can buy tickets." Draco nodded.

"Sounds good, I'm looking forward to this. Hang on; I'd have to change into muggle clothing, wouldn't I?" Hermione sighed.

"Yes, meaning you'd have to go home and change. Alright, this is how it's going to go down: we finish here, you go home get dressed, apparate to mine and then we'll go to the cinema together, that way you won't get lost." Draco nodded and bid her goodbye. "Bring me the file!" Hermione shouted after him, hoping he'd heard her.

Hermione's day had been so hectic that once she arrived home, she collapsed straight onto the sofa. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew was the doorbell ringing. Hermione woke quickly and went to the door.

"Hey, Granger!" Draco smiled at her, and Hermione took one look at him before bursting out with laughter. "What?"

"Draco, that is terrible!" Hermione laughed, and Draco shrugged.

"Considering my family has never had anything to do with the muggle world, I think I did ok."

"Poor thing. Come in; I'll get you sorted into something acceptable." Draco smiled and entered her flat.

"Aren't you going to comment on how I rang the doorbell instead of apparating straight into your apartment?"

"Do you want a cookie?" Hermione asked him, and he scowled at her. "Well done." She patted him on the head, and he swatted her hand away. Draco followed her into her bedroom where Hermione started looking through her wardrobe.

"You're not going to lend me some of Weasley's things are you?" Draco asked her suspiciously and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Stop being such a child: I'm just going to lend you a shirt. He never wears it." Hermione handed him a dark blue shirt and directed him to the bathroom to get changed.

"I still don't see what's wrong with the shirt I'm wearing."

"It's a Hawaiian shirt and it's supposed to be for women." Hermione told him, before pushing him into the bathroom. She then turned her attention to the wardrobe again and picked out a pair of jeans and a red t-shirt for herself.

"That's the last time I go shopping on my own then." Draco walked out of the bathroom in the new shirt.

"That is a lot better. And it fits you perfectly!" Hermione was admiring her handy work and feeling rather proud of it. "Right, I'm just going to get changed, then we can leave, alright?" Draco nodded and stepped aside to allow her access to the bathroom.

"I notice you've got the tulips that I gave you." Draco called from the other side of the door.

"What was I going to do with them: throw them away?"

"Weasley might have."

"He hasn't been home."

"Oh yeah… How's living without Weasley?"

"Lonely, but keeping busy helps. He'll be back soon, the longest he's been away for was a week." Hermione stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards her dresser to pick out some earrings.

"That's alright then." Draco was looking at the photos. "Are these your parents?" He asked, pointing at the photo that they had given Hermione for her birthday. "I remember you like that. That was 11 years ago." Draco smiled. "I hated you as soon as I saw you because of stupid prejudices, but then you beat me in every test every year and I hated you even more for showing me up. I then started to see you more as an equal and then a superior. It's amazing what one person can do." Hermione smiled.

"Remember when we were paired in Ancient Runes and you drew that caricature of me?" Draco laughed.

"Do you still have that?" Hermione nodded and pulled out a box from one of the draws.

"Here it is." Hermione laughed as she unfolded the little piece of paper and handed it to him. "I haven't opened this box in years." Hermione was rifling through it. "Here's the letters you sent me asking to go to our room, and the caricatures of the teachers! Remember when Madame Pince yelled at us for laughing and chased us out of the library?" Draco laughed and handed the paper back to her.

"I remember that. That was the first time we saw each other after Christmas." Draco smiled, and looked at Hermione who was reading what looked like a letter. "Is that…?"

"The letter you sent me after Dumbledore died? Yes. I must have read this a million times while I was in hiding. I knew every word…" Hermione folded the letter up again and put it in the box. "Shall we go?" Hermione asked brightly, and Draco nodded.

"Let's go to the, uh, what was it again?" Hermione laughed.

"Cinema. We're going to the cinema."


	19. Chapter 19: Coming Clean

Chapter 19: Coming Clean

By the time Hermione and Draco left the cinema it was well past 9 o'clock. The two were starving, so decided to head to a café and eat. Hermione and Draco laughed and ate, talking as if they were 16 again. Hermione felt free and young, as though her whole life was ahead of her. Draco seemed to bring in some spontaneity to her life, and Hermione was glad of it. By the time they left to go home, it was about 11 o'clock.

"Are you going back to the manor?" Hermione asked him as they walked through the streets of London.

"I guess so. I don't have anywhere else to be. I was thinking of moving out and getting an apartment in the city. That way I could start moving on with my life properly."

"That sounds great. Do you want some help looking?"

"Are you offering to help me? Because that would be really useful."

"Of course I'd help you out! Why wouldn't I?"

"Hermione Granger, you are the nicest person that walks this Earth." Hermione laughed.

"Don't get ahead of yourself Draco: I might change my mind." Draco smiled and the two walked in silence for a while. Draco walked her to her door and bid her goodnight. She watched him walk away before entering her apartment.

"Hermione?" It was Ron.

"Ron! You're home!" Hermione flung her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Where have you been? I came home and you were gone." Hermione shut the door and the young couple sat down in their lounge.

"Draco and I went to the cinema to go and see the new Bourne Identity film and it was brilliant!" Hermione was in a great mood. "And then we went to get a bite to eat, which is why I'm home so late. If I knew you were coming home tonight I wouldn't have gone to dinner. I'm sorry." Hermione noticed the colour of Ron's ears, and fell silent.

"That sounds like you went on a lovely date." Ron said sourly. Hermione put her hand on his.

"Ron. Draco and I are just friends."

"I know." Hermione could tell that there was more that he wanted to say.

"Spit it out, Ron. What is it?" Ron got up and left the room, only to return a minute later with a box held in his hand, and Hermione blushed furiously.

"I was looking around out of curiosity and found this box sitting on the dresser. I had never seen it before, so I decided to have a look through it."

"That is very private, Ron." Hermione told him, but he dismissed her comment and went on.

"As I looked through the box, I found a drawing of you with huge teeth and a giant brain and really bushy hair. Next I found some drawings of teachers. The most interesting thing in the box was this letter. I seem to remember you telling me that you had thrown this away." Hermione fell silent and hung her head. It was true; when they had moved in together two years prior, Hermione had told Ron that she would throw out all of the letters that Draco had ever given her. When it came to actually destroying them, however, Hermione had lost her nerve, and decided to keep them in a box hidden in her dresser.

"Ron…"

"Hermione, you promised me you would get rid of this. Did you think that I would never find this? Our relationship is built on trust-" Hermione let out a laugh.

"Trust? Ron: you don't trust me going out and about with an old friend."

"You two were involved!"

"I haven't seen him for four years!"

"And as soon as you could see him without going to Azkaban, you jumped at the chance. You know how that makes me feel? It makes me feel like I am a consolation prize. He was out of your life for four years, and we've been together since then. The first time I told you I loved you, you couldn't say it back because he was still in your life. Now that he's back, you spend every moment you can with him. It's as if you are with me because you can't be with him. You never really had the chance to get over him. You involvement didn't end because you two wanted it to: it ended because it had to."

"I am marrying you, Ron. I love you! Why are you letting the past ruin this?"

"The past is ruining it anyway, Hermione. If you're truly over him, get rid of all of this." He thrust the box towards her, and Hermione stared at him.

"You can't be serious."

"I am. Get rid of it." Hermione stared at him and took the box from his hands.

"Ron." He shook his head.

"I'll be in the guest room if you need me." Before Hermione could say another word, he had stalked off and slammed the door of the guest bedroom. Hermione was left stood in the lounge, holding the box of memories that had just caused what could possibly be the biggest argument of their relationship. Hermione walked into the bedroom and put the box away. She then sat down on her bed and put her face in her hands.

Hermione slept badly that night, and Ron didn't even look at her when she walked into the kitchen the next morning. Instead, he just left the room and went to work.

"Morning Granger!" Draco called as he burst into the office in his usual stride. "Soon I won't be able to call you that. Well, unless you're not changing your name, and you're making Weasley change his name. But then I wouldn't be able to call him Weasley…" Draco seemed lost in thought, and finally looked at the woman who sat at the desk.

"Leave." She whispered. Draco stood still, transfixed by the sight of Hermione. She had huge bags under her eyes, her hair was even messier than usual and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Hermione? What happened?" The young witch looked up at the blonde haired boy who stood in front of her.

"What happened?" She whispered. "What happened was Ron was home when I got back at gone 11. I hadn't thought he would be home tonight and forgot to put the box away. You know what box I'm talking about, right? The one where I keep every piece of paper that you ever gave me."

"Why is that so bad? They're just memories."

"When we moved in I'd promised him I'd throw them out, but I didn't have the heart to. I couldn't just throw everything out." Draco paused.

"Why not?"

"It's just like Ron said: our involvement didn't end because we didn't work, it ended because you went to prison. I thought to myself that time would help me forget about you, and not seeing you definitely helped. I have made a life for myself without you, I have a loving boyfriend that I have agreed to marry. I have a fantastic job that I love doing. I have everything that I could have wanted. Everything was going smoothly, working perfectly, and then you re-enter my life. You appear in my apartment, cook me pancakes, and we went about being friends. And yet the second that you came back into my life, everything has been turning upside down. I slept in until 1 in the afternoon at the weekend, and then proceeded to watch films all day. I have had two huge arguments with my fiancé about spending time with you. You are ruining the peaceful life I have built for myself."

"Hermione, I-"

"For some reason you are still important to me, and no matter how hard I try, I still want to spend time with you. Right now, Ron is sleeping in the guest bedroom because he thinks he is a consolation prize, he thinks I am settling for him because I can't have you." Draco was obviously feeling very uncomfortable, and Hermione wiped a few tears away. The two were silent for what felt like a very long time before Draco walked quietly out the door.


	20. Chapter 20: The Ultimatum

Chapter 20: The Ultimatum

Hermione had been miserable since Ron had found the box, and they still weren't talking. A week went by, and Hermione was even avoiding Ginny by not going to the meetings the Weasleys were holding to plan the wedding. Draco had also stopped bursting into her office, as he had done every morning for the past two months. A knock on her office door dragged her out of her reverie.

"Come in," she called, and looked up to find Harry. "Harry. What are you doing here? It's been ages!" She got up and hugged her old friend.

"It has been a while. I'm sorry I couldn't come and see you earlier: I've been swamped with work. But I'm not here to catch up." Hermione slumped her shoulders.

"You're here to lecture me, aren't you?" Harry sighed.

"Ginny told me what happened the day after your birthday and Ron told us about the box. I can't believe you, Hermione."

"I know. I just couldn't throw it out." Harry hugged the young witch again.

"You're going to lose one of them, Hermione, if you keep this up. On the one hand you choose Ron and he will probably not want you seeing Draco anymore, and I don't blame him. If Ginny was spending that much time with an old flame, I wouldn't like it either, especially if she couldn't throw out some paper that he had once given her. On the other hand, you can see what you really, really want, and avoid hurting anyone anymore."

"I am marrying Ron!"

"Hermione, your life was going by smoothly until Draco came back into it. He has acted like a spanner in the works; he is creating a rift between you and Ron. You're clever enough to see it. Think carefully: do you still want to be with Ron now that Draco is back in the picture?" Hermione stared at Harry, and saw that she didn't know. She had been so sure that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ron, and yet now she had doubts.

"I want to make it work with Ron." Hermione told Harry, who nodded, and kissed her forehead.

"Just remember: it's never too late to back out of the marriage. It can be postponed, you don't have to get married now."

"I think I might postpone it. To try and sort out the bumps in the relationship." Hermione took a deep breath. "Which means I can't hang out with Draco." Harry gave her a pitying look.

"Tell you what; let's all go out for drinks. Just you, Ron, and me like old times. What do you say?" Hermione smiled, and nodded.

"I'd like that." Harry smiled.

"I need to get back to work now. We need to hang out more." Hermione smiled and bid her old friend goodbye. She knew what she had to do.

"Is Mr Malfoy in a meeting?" Hermione asked his secretary the next day, who shook her head and told her that she could go in.

"Hermione?" He looked surprised. The two hadn't spoken for a week, and whenever they did have to speak Hermione kept her voice professional.

"I am engaged to Ron. I have been with him for four years and I love him very much. What we had died the day that we said goodbye before you went to Azkaban. Just because you are back doesn't mean I can just drop everything for you." She handed him the box. "I don't want to destroy it, but I don't want it anymore." Draco opened the box and looked back at Hermione, before nodding. "I need you to stay out of my life now. I need to make this relationship work." She started to walk to the door when Draco spoke.

"It's always going to be him, isn't it?" Hermione closed her eyes. They paused before Draco spoke again. "I meant what I said, Hermione."

"What?"

"In the letter. I meant what I said. I am forever yours." Hermione felt as though someone was crushing her heart as she took one last look at the young wizard. She fought back the urge to run to him, to hug him and ask him to never let her go. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Brown to grey, grey to brown.

"Goodbye Draco." Hermione told him, before walking out of his office, a solitary tear running down her face.


	21. Chapter 21: Old Times

Chapter 21: Old Times

When Hermione came home that evening, she found Ron sitting in the kitchen. He had stopped walking out of the room when she was there, but he still didn't look at her.

"It's gone." Hermione told him, with a shaky voice. Ron raised his eyebrows but didn't look at her. "I got rid of the things in the box. They're gone; everything's gone. I won't see Draco either; I ended my friendship with him. Ron, I love you and I will marry you." Ron turned to the young witch. They looked at each other for a few minutes. "I love you, Ron."

"I love you too, Hermione." The young couple hugged each other for what felt like an eternity. Hermione closed her eyes. If this was what she wanted, why did she still feel empty?

That Friday, Hermione and Ron walked to the bar that they had agreed on with Harry. The Golden Trio hugged and laughed, and Hermione felt at peace.

"It hasn't been just us three in years." Hermione told the two boys, who looked happy.

"So, how's being married?" Ron asked Harry, who laughed.

"I'm not falling for that. If I complain you'll kill me." Ron laughed.

"So you better say it is the best thing that you ever did."

"Better than defeating Voldemort?" Harry considered it. "It was a lot easier than defeating Voldemort, mainly because Ginny isn't trying to kill me. I think." Ron laughed again, and Hermione warned him that she would tell the redhead.

"It's alright; she knows I'm kidding. She has a sense of humour, thank goodness." Hermione laughed.

"Next round's on me," Hermione told the two boys, and she got up and headed towards the bar. As she ordered the three beers, she saw something that made her stomach flip. On the other side of the bar, Draco Malfoy was drinking what looked like firewhisky. Hermione saw that he looked a mess. She grabbed the drinks, paid, and all but ran as she went back to their table.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Ron told them as he got up. As soon as Hermione was sure that he was out of earshot, she leant over to whisper to Harry.

"Draco is at the bar." Harry looked at her.

"Are you sure?" Hermione nodded and pointed at the blonde wizard. Harry let out a sigh. "He looks a mess." Hermione nodded.

"But what if Ron sees him?" Harry patted Hermione on the back.

"It's alright, Hermione. He won't."

"What do you look so worried about?" Ron asked her as he sat down.

"I was just telling her about when you missed the killing curse by an inch on our last mission." Hermione tried not to look too shocked.

"Yes, I was so worried. Please be careful, Ron." He kissed her.

"I'm always careful, Hermione." She smiled at him, and looked at Harry, who winked at her.

"It's still weird going to work in the ministry, don't you think?" Hermione asked the two boys, who nodded. "I keep expecting someone to grab me and take my wand away."

"You should try working in the Auror department. Do you remember when we were planning the attacks on the ministry, Gringotts, and the Hogwarts while we were on the run? It was just us three trying to figure things out. Now we have a whole team at our disposal. I have to say, though, I wish you were with us, Hermione." Ron nodded.

"No one could hatch a plan like you could. We were actually thinking of going and asking you at one point." Hermione laughed.

"I'd be glad to help out, but I've had enough of fighting dark wizards, thanks." Harry laughed.

"I guess I've been doing it for so long it's the only thing I know how to do." Hermione laughed.

"A toast," Ron said, standing up. "To our eleven years as friends, and to many, many more."

"To many more!" Hermione and Harry chorused, and they clinked their glasses together in celebration.


	22. Chapter 22: Heartache

Chapter 22: Heartache

Draco had gone straight to the pub after work. The weeks without Hermione had been hard on him, and he had decided that he needed a break. He didn't know that the Golden Trio were there until Ron had proposed the toast. He had looked over and seen her. Her brown hair was in a ponytail, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with joy. He saw that Potter was with them, and couldn't help but be reminded of Hogwarts. He downed his firewhisky and drunkenly walked out of the pub. He sat down on the ground a few buildings up and thought about how his life had turned to hell. He had believed that Hermione might have waited for him, might even have left Weasley for him, but he was wrong. He sat there for ages, staring at the stars, before a man approached him.

"Malfoy?" It was Potter. Draco looked around for Granger and Weasley, but they were nowhere to be seen. "They live in the opposite direction. It's just me." Draco looked at the face that he had hated for so long.

"What do you want, Potter?" He slurred with as much contempt as he could muster.

"Are you alright getting home?" Draco stared at him, and shook his head.

"But what do you care, Potter?" He slurred. Harry didn't answer, but instead put his arm under Draco's armpit and lifted him up.

"Come on, you're coming home with me." Draco was about to protest, but decided against it.

"Isnot fair." He slurred. "Weasley doesn't deserve her." He was talking to himself more than he was talking to Potter, but that didn't stop him. "She's made a huge mistake. He doesn't appreciate her. He's too insecure and stupid and a Weasley." Harry smiled at how drunk he sounded. "Hermione and I worked so well." Harry half carried half dragged the drunken man up the stairs, into his apartment and onto his sofa.

"Hey Harry!" Ginny called, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh great, Weaslette is joining the party. Oh wait," Draco frowned, "I can't call you that anymore."

"What is he doing here?" Ginny asked Harry, who told her how he'd found him on the streets and felt sorry for him.

"Potterette!" Draco called out. "No, that's stupid…" He frowned again.

"So you decided to bring him here?" Ginny obviously didn't sound very happy about it.

"I'm just as happy as you are, Pottette. No, that's stupid." Draco went back to frowning on the sofa.

"What was I supposed to do, leave him there?"

"I'm just going to stick to Weaslette, it's a better nickname."

"I guess bringing him here was the only thing you could do."

"Because even though you're married, you were once a Weasley, and you still have the freckles and the red hair. But you don't have the hand-me-down clothes anymore, so are you still really a Weasley?"

"I'll make the spare bed up for him," Ginny told Harry, before leaving.

"I guess you'll always be a Weasley. It's not like if you've got money you're no longer part of that family. I mean, I'm not rich anymore, really, and I'm still a Malfoy."

"Malfoy, no one's listening to you." Harry told him gently, and Draco looked around the lounge.

"That was rude of her." Malfoy muttered and slumped back onto the sofa. Harry sat down next to him.

"I would ask how you're holding up, but I can see that you're not holding up very well."

"Well done Potter, top marks. My life is just rubbish. I should just pack up my things and move to another country, like Canada. I could go to Canada."

"I'm sorry things didn't work out between you two."

"No you're not. You're happy that your little group of friends is still together, but Weasley has taken away the only friend I had. I mean, he was right to be annoyed, because I'm still madly in love with that girl. Who wouldn't be? She clever, beautiful, funny, logical…" Draco sighed. "I'm nothing without her. And work is so boring now! I used to burst into her office every morning with a 'morning, Granger,' and she'd complain that I don't knock and we'd have a chat." Draco fell silent again. "She showed me these film things and we went to the minesa, or whatever it was, and we watched a great film. And then we went to dinner, and I felt like nothing else mattered. When we kissed, it felt as though everything just fit into place, like we were two puzzle pieces and we matched. I miss kissing her. I miss having her around." Harry listened in silence. "She loves me. I know she still does. That's why Weasley was so jealous: our relationship never really started. We couldn't get it off the ground because we were on opposite sides of the war, and now that we could get it to work she's going to marry that pompous ape."

"That's my brother you're talking about." Ginny warned him, but Draco shrugged.

"She looked happy though." Draco said finally, and Harry patted him on the shoulder.

"Your bed's ready." Harry dragged Draco off of the sofa and showed him the way to the guest bedroom.

"Tell her I'm sorry for ruining her life." Draco told Harry, who nodded, and bid him goodnight. Draco lay down on the bed for a few hours, thinking about Hermione. He took out the letter that he had written to her all of those years ago and saw that nothing had changed. She would always choose Weasley over him. With that thought going round his head, Draco fell into a deep slumber where, for the first time in a while, he had no nightmares.

The next morning, Draco awoke to find that he had no idea where he was. Looking around, he realised he couldn't remember half of the night. He got up slowly and opened the door, only to be met with Ginny standing in the doorway.

"Well it's about time." She told him. "I was wondering if you wanted something to eat." Draco looked at the redhead.

"Where am I and why are you here?"

"Harry found you on the streets last night and brought you home. Are you hungry?"

"So I'm at your place?" Ginny nodded, and smiled.

"I'm sorry about Hermione and everything. If you do need help getting back on your feet, Harry and I can help." Draco looked at Ginny curiously, before smiling.

"Thanks."

"By the way," she shouted back as she walked away, "if you're not going to call me Ginny, I'd rather Weaslette. Potterette isn't very nice." Draco laughed, and walked after her.

"Did I say something last night?"

"Yes, you did. You had your own little monologue about what you would call me." Draco laughed.

"Sorry about that." Ginny smiled at him.

"It's alright. It would feel weird if you called me by my actual name." Draco laughed.

"Ah, you're awake." Harry grinned at him as he entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Potter, sorry about last night. I wasn't in a great place." Harry shook his head.

"It's fine. I'm glad I found you. Bacon?" Draco looked at the frying pan, and shook his head.

"On a normal day I would definitely take you up on the offer, but I don't think I'd be able to hold it down." Harry laughed.

"Hung over? We've still got a bit of that potion, haven't we?" He asked his wife, who rifled through one of the kitchen cupboards. She pulled out a small blue bottle.

"We don't have all that much left, but I can always buy some." She handed it to Draco. "Three drops."

"I know how these work, thanks." He administered the blue liquid and grimaced. "Still hate it as much." Harry laughed.

"I don't think any one likes them, but it's better than the headache." Draco nodded.

"I really should call people by their proper names, shouldn't I?" Draco said to the young couple, and they laughed.

"The day you call us by our proper names, we will assume you have gone mad. We expect you to call us something else."

"But you call me Draco."

"It took a lot of willpower, trust me." Ginny grinned. "Oh, and thanks for the wedding gift, did you get our note?" Draco nodded.

"It was nothing, I felt like I should give you guys something, considering everything that went down. I always knew you two would make it." Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" Draco shrugged.

"You spent your holidays at your best friend's house, and your best friend had a little sister who is half decent." Harry raised his eyebrows, Ginny shrugged.

"I'll take it." She said, and Harry grinned.

"It was only a matter of time, really."

"What about you? Where's Pansy these days." Draco thought for a minute.

"I have no idea. She got really annoying and clingy in our sixth and seventh years, and I just really didn't want her around anymore." Harry grinned.

"I will never forget that moment in the Great Hall when she tried to give me up and everybody turned their wands on her." Draco grinned.

"She deserved that." Draco stayed at the Potter's only long enough shower and apparate back. He thanked them for their kindness, and promised that he'd try and call them by their first names.


	23. Chapter 23: Talk to Me

Chapter 23: Talk to Me

Hermione left her apartment for Ginny's at about 3 o'clock the following day. The two had agreed to spend a few hours discussing wedding plans, even though Hermione knew that Ginny would do most of the planning. Today was the day they would discuss dresses. Luckily, Ginny already had a lot of programs from her own wedding, so half of the job was already done.

"Hey Harry!" Hermione hugged him as he opened the door.

"Hey Hermione. How are you?" He let the girl into his apartment. "Ginny? Hermione's here."

"I've been better." Hermione admitted and Harry patted her shoulder.

"Hermione, good, you're here." Ginny walked out of the guest room and gave the witch a hug.

"I'll leave you two to talk about your wedding details. I am so glad that's behind me."

"And why is that exactly?" Ginny asked her husband, who gave her a kiss.

"It was the most stressful period of my adult life." Ginny laughed, and shooed Hermione into the lounge.

"Do we have to do this now?" Hermione complained, but she knew it was useless.

"If we don't do it now you'll never get around to doing it."

"Why put off 'til tomorrow what you can do today?" Hermione looked round to see Harry holding up the planning diary she had bought him all of those years ago while at Hogwarts.

"You still have that?" Harry nodded and shut it.

"It's still as good as new!" Harry grinned at her, and Hermione laughed. "I've been waiting until you said that so I could get it out again." Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"That's the last time I buy you something useful." Harry grinned again.

"I'll leave you two alone then. I'm going to go and see Ron and plan."

"So you'll go, grab a butterbeer or two, and talk about Quidditch." Harry winked at her before leaving.

"Boys." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny, who nodded in agreement.

"So. How have you been?" Ginny asked Hermione, who shrugged.

"I've been better, I've been worse." Ginny raised her eyes at her.

"Hermione, it's just me." The girl stared at the redhead before sighing.

"I miss him." Hermione whispered. "I know that sounds silly because he hasn't been in my life for four years, but I told him goodbye and then didn't see him at all because he basically left my life. I got used to his absence, and I had so many other things to keep me busy, such as finding my parents in Australia, and starting my career, that it was easy to put those feelings aside. I thought I was over him, Ginny, but now…" She trailed off.

"You don't know if you still like him?"

"I know this must be really frustrating to hear from the girl who's dating your brother, but you're the only one I can really turn to with this." Ginny nodded.

"I am doing my best to pretend that I have no relation to him. It's quite easy, actually; I've been doing it my whole life." Hermione laughed, and Ginny was glad to see it.

"Two years ago I couldn't throw away the box, and he wasn't in my life. Those papers were important to me once."

"But you got rid of them now, right?" Hermione avoided Ginny's gaze. "Hermione?"

"I gave them back to Draco. I couldn't bear to destroy them, and this way they're gone from my life, but still intact." Ginny thought it through.

"That is a fair enough compromise."

"You sound surprised," Hermione grinned.

"Well, forgive me if lately you haven't had the best common sense." Hermione smiled.

"Can't disagree with you there." Ginny smiled. "I gave the box back, it was supposed to fix everything. I haven't spoken to Draco unless I absolutely have to for work, and yet I miss him so much." Hermione wiped a tear away, and Ginny patted her on the shoulder.

"It may be difficult because you see him so often."

"He was at the pub, Ginny. I saw him when I went to buy us a round, and I looked at him and he was a mess. I don't think he saw me, though." Ginny shifted in her seat. "You know what the last thing he said to me was?" Hermione asked Ginny, ignoring the latter's obvious discomfort. "He said that he meant what he had written in the letter."

"What had he written in the letter?"

"That he was forever mine." Ginny let out a whistle.

"That is smooth."

"I know. Do you know how hard it was to walk away from that? I felt so bad. And what are you hiding from me Ginny? Don't lie to me, you know I can tell when you're lying." Ginny sighed.

"Last night, when you three left the pub, Harry bumped into Draco on the street and brought him back here. He saw you at the pub, Hermione. He kept going on and on about how Ron didn't deserve you, and how Ron didn't realise how great you are. He said that he and you worked so well together. He's falling apart without you, Hermione." Ginny was looking at her friend with compassionate eyes. "I told you this would happen. I told you to be careful, I said that he still felt this way. I didn't realise the impact of him coming back into your life, though. You obviously still care about him."

"I am marrying Ron."

"But do you still love him? Things have changed since you two got engaged! How has your relationship suffered from Draco coming back? You have slept here because of a fight; Ron has spent the night here after a fight. You two have always fought but it has become more frequent and a lot more heated. Hermione, I think your relationship is falling apart." Hermione started to cry.

"I wish Draco had never come back into my life, I had my life on track, I had everything I wanted, it was basically a perfect life."

"I don't think you want that perfect life, though. You spent your school life chasing after Death Eaters and Voldemort. You told me when you came back for our last year that it had been the most boring year that you had spent at Hogwarts because it was a normal year." Hermione smiled a small smile at the memory.

"It was a bit monotonous. But it was still good."

"I think you need that bit of danger and 'spice' in your life. Ron and Harry get it from being in the Auror department; I think you get your fix from Draco. How much more interesting is your life when Draco's in it?"

"It was interesting because we weren't allowed to be together, he was a Slytheryn and a Death Eater, I was a Gryffindor know-it-all. Now we are both adults with normal jobs."

"You two butt heads in a way that you and Ron don't. When you and Ron fight it's because of an actual disagreement. When you and Draco fight, what is it for?"

"Apart from when he poisoned Ron and nearly killed Katy?" Ginny raised her eyebrows and nodded, and Hermione thought. "It was to do with Runes and work."

"It's a battle of wits and knowledge between you two. Even though you will always win, it keeps you on your toes. I hate to say it, but Ron doesn't satisfy you mentally; which is why you and Draco work." Hermione stared at the redhead.

"What are you saying?" Ginny sighed.

"I'm saying I don't think you made the right call when you cut Draco out of your life."

"But-"

"I know, I've been stern with you since the beginning, but when I spent that Sunday with the two of you watching films, I saw how you interacted, I saw how the relationship worked. You two work so much better than you and Ron do. Don't get me wrong, you two work, but Draco brings out your full potential as a person, and he needs you to be a better person."

"You're saying I shouldn't marry Ron? You're telling me to break up with your own brother?" Hermione was staring at her old friend in disbelief. Ginny shrugged.

"Ron can see it too, he just hopes you will never see it."

"But I can't break it off with Ron: it'll crush him." Ginny leant closer to her.

"What will crush him is you waking up when you're 50 realising you are unhappy." Ginny put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, and the latter thought about what she had said. "Think about that life: you will retire with a glorious record, as will Ron, your children will go off to live their own lives, and you two will be left by yourselves. What will there be left to talk about?"

"Nothing. There would be nothing left to say."


	24. Chapter 24: When We're 50

Chapter 24: When We're 50

Hermione's head had been spinning since she had spoken to Ginny. She couldn't help but look at her relationship with Ron in a completely new light.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked her one evening through a mouthful of food.

"Do you think we'll ever run out of things to say?" Hermione asked him curiously, and Ron frowned at her, and then grinned a mischievous grin.

"You would never run out of things to say." Hermione scowled at him.

"I meant do you think we'll ever run out of conversations to have. When we're 50, do you recon we'd still talk like we do? And where do you see us when we're 50? Do you want to retire or keep working?" Ron looked concerned.

"Why are you asking these questions?" Hermione shrugged.

"We're planning our wedding, of course I ask myself questions about the future."

"I'm sure we'd be fine. When we're 50, I plan on retiring and spending my day doing absolutely nothing. And I hope you would join me."

"You think I'd retire?"

"Hermione, we wouldn't need to work, so why should we?" Hermione was not impressed with how he had answered the question, and she did not sleep that night. The next morning, while at work, she couldn't help but think about what Draco would answer to that question, but Draco and her hadn't spoken for about a month now, and she felt awkward going into his office to ask that kind of question. Eventually, she mustered up the courage to walk over to his office, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" She heard him call from inside, and Hermione entered.

"Morning," he told her with his work voice, and Hermione seemed to lose her courage.

"I, uh, came for the file?" Hermione stammered while Draco continued to avoid her gaze.

"Which one?"

"The, uh," Hermione's brain seemed to fail her. "I don't know." She said finally, and Draco let out a chuckle.

"Those are the last words I expected to come out of your mouth," and Hermione smiled. Draco sighed and looked up at her. She saw that he hadn't been sleeping, and she knew he could see it in her too.

"I miss you." She whispered, and his whole figure clenched.

"You can't do this, Hermione."

"Do what?"

"You can't shut me out of your life like this and then tell me you miss me. You can't toy with people like that, Hermione." She hung her head. "I miss you too." He whispered after a while.

"Do you think we'd ever run out of things to say to each other?" Hermione asked him after a few more minutes had passed, and Draco looked at her curiously.

"Why do you ask?"

"Something I've been thinking about." Draco thought for a minute.

"No. We have so much to learn from each other, and I don't think we would ever stop arguing about things that don't matter. Not that I would ever win, but we battle mentally."

"Ron doesn't satisfy me mentally." Hermione smiled a sour smile.

"Pardon?" Draco laughed. "What did you say?" Hermione laughed.

"It's something Ginny said to me the other day."

"That redhead has some wisdom in her words."

"You sound surprised." Draco grinned. "Do you think you'd retire?" Draco looked at her suspiciously.

"Are you trying to get me to leave? I'm only 22!" Hermione smiled.

"I meant when you're 50." Draco thought for a moment.

"If I retired I don't think I'd know what to do with myself. I'd probably keep working until my heart gives out." He looked at Hermione intently. "Why are you asking me these questions?" Hermione avoided his gaze.

"It's something I've been thinking about." She stared intently at the floor for a bit. "I should go, I have a lot of things to do."

"Alright then." Hermione started to walk towards the door. "It was nice to talk to you again." Draco told her, and she smiled a sad smile.

"It was nice to talk to you too." She told him before leaving the room.

As soon as she had finished work, Hermione all but ran to Ginny's flat.

"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny looked surprised to see the girl. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You're right." Hermione told the redhead as she walked past her to the lounge. "Is Harry here?"

"No, he's not home yet. What was I right about?"

"About me and Ron. I asked him if he thought we'd ever run out of things to say and he didn't seem too phased about it. I then asked him about when we're 50, what do you think we'll be doing and he said retired and not doing anything. Ginny, I am not set out to not do anything, I don't do well at not doing anything with my time!"

"Hermione, you need to calm down." The young witch looked panic stricken.

"I asked Draco what he'd be doing when he's 50-"

"You asked Draco? Hermione!"

"-and he said working until his heart gives out. That is what I want, Ginny. I never realised it until now. You were right! I don't want peaceful, I want adventure and knowledge and to keep working!" Ginny was looking at Hermione intently. "I can't do this anymore." Hermione started to cry again and Ginny frowned.

"Hermione, stop crying this instant!" She yelled, and Hermione stopped in shock. "You need to stop feeling so sorry for yourself! What do you want?"

"I…" Hermione stammered.

"Who do you love? Who do you want to spend the rest of your life with? Who do you think can make you the happiest you can be?" Hermione heard her yell the words that she had not spoken in nearly five years.

"Draco. I love Draco Malfoy."


	25. Chapter 25: It's Always Been You

Chapter 25: It's Always Been You

Hermione put her hand over her mouth in shock, and even Ginny looked surprised.

"I haven't heard you say that in years." Ginny whispered. Hermione stared at the redhead and started to laugh.

"I love Draco Malfoy and I'm engaged to my best friend." Hermione laughed, while Ginny looked concerned.

"Why are you laughing?"

"It's absurd! What am I going to do? Your mother's going to be crushed, all of the preparation is going to go out of the window, and Ron… Oh, Ron is going to be heartbroken." She finally stopped laughing, and looked like she had forgotten to hand in an assignment.

"You need to tell Ron." Hermione nodded very slowly.

"I need to tell Ron." Hermione hugged the redhead before leaving the apartment and walking to hers. Ron wasn't home yet, so Hermione paced around their lounge for a while, mulling over what she had to tell him.

"Hey Hermione!" He called after what seemed like forever.

"Ron, I need to tell you something." Ron looked puzzled, but nodded.

"Alright, what is it?" Hermione took a deep breath.

"This is really difficult to tell you, but I feel as though I have to get it off of my chest." Ron looked concerned.

"What is it?" Hermione took a deep breath.

"I don't think we should get married."

"You want to postpone the wedding? That's what you wanted to tell me?" Ron smiled. "Of course we can. How long do you want to put it off?" Hermione shook her head.

"No, Ron, I don't think we should get married. Ever." The smiled had frozen on his face. "Our relationship has been falling apart for a while now." Ron was shaking his head.

"No, Hermione, we went through a bad phase, but we got passed it together, like we always do."

"Ron. Our relationship doesn't work anymore." Ron was looking at Hermione intently.

"This is a joke, right?" Hermione hung her head.

"I'm sorry. You have no idea how difficult this is for me to say."

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?" Ron yelled.

"No! That's not what I meant! Ron, we've been falling apart for months!"

"Because of Malfoy, but he's gone, Hermione, he's out of your life!"

"No, Ron. You made me choose, and I chose you, but I made a mistake."

"Hermione, you can't be serious." The young witch took a step towards him.

"I am. I love you, Ron. I do. But I can't pretend that I don't love Draco. This hasn't been fair on either of us, and I've been horrible to you without meaning to. You deserve so much more." Ron collapsed onto the sofa.

"Is this really what you want?" He asked her softly, and Hermione nodded slowly.

"It is." Ron looked up at the young witch. She walked towards him slowly and handed him the engagement ring. Ron took it and looked it over in his hand.

"I guess I knew this would happen." He whispered. Hermione sat beside him.

"I hope that I won't lose you as a friend."

"I hope we can get back to that too." He whispered back. She got up off of the sofa towards the bedroom.

"I'll sleep in the guest bedroom and be out of here by tomorrow." She told him as she walked away.

"Hermione?" He called after her, and she turned back. "You are the one who is telling my mother."

Hermione burst into Draco's office the next morning.

"Morning Hermione." Draco said as civilly as he could.

"You were wrong."

"Excuse me?" He looked up at her.

"You were wrong when you said that it will always be Ron."

"You didn't correct me." He told her, leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms.

"Because I didn't know it! You were back in my life for 3 months and you caused havoc, and yet those two months we were speaking were the happiest I've had in a long time. I didn't realise it because I had nothing to compare it to before."

"What are you talking about?"

"I hated you because you were turning my life upside down, and I blamed you for all of the things that went wrong. I blamed you for not being able to throw the box away when it was my fault. I was in a relationship with Ron for four years and I thought I was happy, but then you waltz back in and show me how happy I could potentially be. You used to bully me and make my life hell, and then I saw a different side to you, and then you left my life again, and then you came back-"

"Hermione, calm down, you're talking really quickly and it's difficult to keep up when this happens." Hermione took a deep breath.

"I remember being so confused as to how I ever fell in love with you in the first place because I used to hate you. In the four years that you were gone I convinced myself that it wasn't real, that it didn't happen, and that I didn't love you. I told myself this so many times that I began to believe it, but then you came back. Everything I'd buried came up, but I was so stubborn that I refused to see it."

"See what exactly?"

"I was talking to Ginny," Hermione continued, ignoring Draco, "and she told me that I had made a mistake in choosing Ron. She said that we worked better and that I was happier with you. And she's right. We work; there was no reason to get over you. I still love you, Draco, I was just too blind and stubborn to see it." Draco got up from his desk and walked towards Hermione.

"What about Weasley?"

"It's over."

"This is what you want?" Hermione nodded.

"I love you. It's always been you." Draco smiled and kissed her. Hermione couldn't remember the last time a kiss had felt this right. They fit, like two puzzle pieces. As they broke apart, Hermione laughed.

"I've wanted to do that for so long." Draco whispered and kissed her forehead. "I love you Hermione Granger." They hugged, and Hermione felt at peace with everything.


	26. Chapter 26: Brown to Grey, Grey to Brown

Chapter 26: Brown to Grey, Grey to Brown

"Are you ready?"

"Of course I'm ready!"

"Just making sure!"

"I don't think that's necessary."

"Well sorry for trying to make sure everything will go to plan."

"Granger, you need to calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do, Malfoy."

"Would you two just stop fighting?" Ginny yelled, and the two fell silent. "Thank you." Hermione grinned at the redhead. "Now, Malfoy, you are not allowed anywhere near Hermione for the next 2 days. Next time you see her she will be walking towards you up the aisle. Hermione, you are not allowed to back out of this wedding too, because I think I might actually kill you if you do." Hermione frowned at her, and Ginny smiled. "Ready?" The young couple kissed one last time before apparating to their respective rooms in the hotel they had hired. Hermione and Ginny put all of their things away in their hotel room.

"Thanks for helping out, Ginny. Again." Ginny grinned.

"It's fine, I just used the planning from your first wedding."

"Technically this is my first wedding." Ginny grinned.

"I know, it's just fun to annoy you with it." Hermione poked her tongue out at the redhead.

"It's only because of you that I didn't get married to Ron."

"Yes, well, that would've been a mistake had you married my brother. I mean, it would have been cool to have you as a legal sister, but I guess your happiness comes first." Hermione hugged the redhead.

"Thank you." Ginny grinned.

"Anything." There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" It was Ron.

"Hey, I just wanted to wish you good luck."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled at him.

"I'm glad you're happy." Ron hugged her.

"How are you, Ron?" She asked him as Ginny left them together for a bit.

"I'm better. It's been two years. I'm dating again and I've met this really nice woman called Fiona." Hermione smiled at him.

"Will I meet her?" Ron grinned.

"She is here, so yes. Tomorrow."

"Where did she go to school?"

"She's a couple of years younger than us. She was at Hogwarts and remembers when we wrecked havoc." Hermione laughed. "She makes me happy."

"I'm glad of that. I'm so happy we could still be friends. Even if it took time." Ron hugged her again.

"I'm glad I didn't lose you completely." He bid her goodbye and Ginny returned to Hermione.

"He looks happy. I think he might have met the one," and Ginny smiled. The two women put the remainder of their things away and sat on the balcony of the hotel to soak in the last few rays of sunshine. August that year had been a hot one, and her wedding day would be no different.

"I'm getting married to Draco Malfoy." Ginny grinned.

"Can't believe it?" Hermione shook her head. "I couldn't believe it either." Hermione laughed. "You're happy! Everyone's happy! Our little group has found an equilibrium again." Ginny hugged her.

"How's living with Malfoy?" Hermione grinned again.

"We have so many books!" Ginny laughed. "When we moved into the flat he brought what looked like the whole of the library at the manor, but then he told me it wasn't even half of the books! We are basically living in a library!" Ginny was in stitches.

"Feel right at home then?" Hermione grinned.

"I feel so carefree with him. He knows me, he sees right through me and he always has. We went through hell to get here, and the next few years are not going to be easy, but Ginny, let me tell you they will be worth it." The redhead smiled at the brunette and the two watched the sun go down. They sat in silence and Hermione sighed.

"Walking down the aisle is the most nerve wracking part of the wedding. You get through that, and you'll survive the rest. Just focus on the man stadning there. If you feel dread, run." Hermione laughed.

"This time tomorrow I shall be married."

"And a Malfoy."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"I still call myself a Weasley. It's just on the forms. Your name will always be a part of you. Especially because you're known by the world as Granger."

"Ginny, thank you."

"For what?"

"For making me realise what I really wanted when I was too stubborn to see it myself." Ginny patted her hand.

"I just want what is best for you two. Even though I would have liked you as a sister."

"You're the closest I have to a sister, and in my eyes you are my sister." Ginny grinned. The two girls went back to watching the dark creep in.

"Come on, let's get you indoors before you catch a cold. If you get ill and we have to cancel the wedding, you will wish you were never born." Hermione laughed.

"Goodnight Ginny."

"Goodnight Hermione." As she went to bed, the young bride-to-be closed her eyes and fell asleep. Hermione had no nightmares, and she slept soundlessly. She woke up early and dressed, with Ginny fussing about around her as she did her make-up and hair. As Hermione entered the hall, she saw Draco standing at the end of the aisle, dressed in handsome dress robes. She concentrated on him, and nothing else around her mattered. Brown to grey, grey to brown. Everything was working like clockwork again, and Hermione smiled.

Brown to grey. Grey to brown.

She took her first step as soon as the clock struck twelve.

**There you go, I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I can't believe this story is finished, I've been working on it for the past two years. I'm impressed by how quickly I wrote that! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited, and alerted my story. It means a lot that people actually liked it. I don't know really what to write about next, but I am working on a few ideas, some of which are from the Harry Potter universe again, just not Dramiones. I'll probably have something up soon-ish, but don't hold me to it. See you guys next time!**

**WarnedBeYou.**


End file.
